


The Garden

by HoneyBee7312



Series: Shattered Glass [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, But favors Tony, Civil War Team Iron Man, Depression, F/F, F/M, Genderfluid Loki (Marvel), Its going to be a while, Jotunn Loki (Marvel), M/M, Odin's terrible horrible no good parenting, Slow Burn, So fair warning, Suicidal Thoughts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-06
Updated: 2020-07-28
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:14:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 34
Words: 186,298
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24042688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HoneyBee7312/pseuds/HoneyBee7312
Summary: Just a story that explores a friendship between Loki and OMC and how Loki's story might look like or go if he'd had some one on the outside to call as a friend. The main paring is Loki/Thor but that's going to take a while. Mostly oc's perspective. Picks up after Thor:TDW . Will cover previous MCU films in flashbacks. Completely canon divergent after Thor:TDW scene where Loki dies.
Relationships: Frigga | Freyja/Odin (Marvel), Loki & OMC friendship, Loki/Thor (Marvel), Tony Stark/Stephen Strange
Series: Shattered Glass [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1741330
Comments: 59
Kudos: 96





	1. Locke Inn (part1)

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first work. I'm mostly writing for myself. I know I'm not good. I'm not a writer and I do not claim to be one. I don't expect accolades and if you do not like this story you are welcome to that opinion. I will say this 'Don't like...don't read. But please don't troll people (or me) in the comment section Live and let live I'm moderating comments just to be on the safe side. I only own my OC characters, all other characters belong to Marvel and Disney. I do not own them.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our story begins somewhere in the middle. Many things have happened and many will happen still. But for the moment there is only grief. It feels endless, maybe it is.   
> "Your own death is something that happens to everyone else." - Sherlock Holmes  
> Loki is dead, but Zaaroc still lives. So does everyone else. Is that all there is to death? You die and people continue to live? It feels wrong but time moves forward and waits for none. Certainly not for Zaaroc to mourn his lost friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First chapter!! I'm still learning how to use the archive editor so please bear with me a little. If you have any suggestions please do comment. I will probably be updating very slowly. I'm working from home at the moment but still working and that usually takes 10-11 hours 5 days a week of my time. Probably pick up pace during weekends but I can't promise anything

It was a beautiful day. The birds were chirping among the flowers. There was a simple marble fountain in the middle of the garden, water flowed from it clean and crystal clear as sunlight passed through it. The flowers were a little odd. Strange combination of purple, blue and black. Huge petals that seemed to move on their own. There was also a small herb garden a little way in the corner. And a shrubbery with tiny red and yellow berries. The garden was hidden in an alcove in the corner of a small hut that shared a wall with it. The hut was hidden deep in a forest with tall trees

It was not easily found. As a matter of fact, if one were to look from afar it would appear as if the garden was simply a storeroom with a crooked dusty door. Only a select few could get past the shimmery wall of light that guarded this treasure.

No gardener had tended to it in a very long time. No one watered the flowers, and no one trimmed the shrubs, yet the garden stayed picturesque. But if one managed to enter it one would say it was melancholy as if waiting for its master to return. Waiting as the seasons passed and time itself hurtled towards its end….

Zaaroc POV

It was exhausting, Zaaroc had been travelling for the past 2 weeks. The road was boring, the trees all looked the same, and his companions were beginning to get on his nerves.

Zaaroc would leave them here to wander aimlessly in a heartbeat if he could but he had promised his King that he would guide the group and he wasn’t about to become an oath breaker just because a few idiots did not think before they spoke.

Zaaroc looked upwards despite the tall trees of Alfheim the sun bore down, and he longed for the cool spring that ran beside his home. “Oi!! Elf!! Listen up!! I thought you said there was an inn coming up in a mile. I’m getting hungry!! Hurry up!! let’s get going. I don’t want to miss out on those roast chickens!!”, a fat man shouted from behind.

Zaaroc sighed ‘ _Just for a little while…I’ll let them wander today and come back in the morn….surely that much could be brushed off as a mistake’_ “Oi!! Have you gone deaf!! Come on there’s Bilgesnipes in my stomach!! Let’s go already!!”, the fat man shouted again in a voice so loud that it scared off a bunch of birds nearby. ‘ _Has he never heard of indoor voice.’_ Zaaroc thought wearily. Best not to procrastinate the sooner he could be done with this stupid excursion the better.

“We’ve only got a few more meters till we come upon it.”, Zaaroc replied to Volstagg the Voluminous. Well that wasn’t his actual title. But in Zaaroc’s mind it suited him better. How a man could put away so much food was beyond him. ‘ _Not to mention I have to feed him every 4 hours as if he were a babe.’_

“Ah! Finally!! Now you can stuff your face and we all can have some peace and quiet.”, Fandral the Dashing grinned broadly at his friend and slapped him on the back.

Lady Sif snorted and said, “We’re here to hunt the white stag not eat roast chickens. It has already gotten away from us twice!! And all you think about is food!” ‘ _And all you think about is how you can become Asgard’s next queen’,_ Zaaroc thought. He looked at Hogun who was stoically staring ahead like statue in Zaaroc’s opinion. ‘ _At least the golden buffoon isn’t here’_ A small mercy. All Zaaroc had these days were small mercies. But he’d take it something was better than nothing after all.

With a sigh he started in the direction of Locke’s Inn. The last time Zaaroc had been here he’d had only one companion. The companion had gone on to become his closest friend. He smiled slightly at the memory. But his smile faded as he thought of his friend. An ache started somewhere in Zaaroc’s chest. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. Zaaroc wasn’t so sure. After all his heart only ached as he thought of his best friend. A friend Zaaroc had failed. A friend Zaaroc was never going to see again. ‘ _I never should have let you leave. I should have stolen you away’_ But it was too late now. HE was gone. HE died alone. HE died saving that stupid moron! HE died a hero and yet people still slandered his name.

Zaaroc’s fist clenched as he trudged on. He could see the inn’s door now and hear people bustling inside. ‘ _Completely unaffected. How can they be so merry?’_ The warriors three and lady Sif hurried past him as they came up to the door of the inn. Zaaroc lagged, he looked up at the trees again, the green triggered a memory of sparkling green orbs that were mocking and affectionate at the same time. ‘ _No, I should never have let you leave. I should have taken you away deep in the forest beyond the hills. I should have waged war to get you back. You were worth it. You still are…Loki’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this first chapter is in OC's POV. Yes Loki is dead. He died saving Thor from the Kurse and this is set about 3 months after that. Zaaroc's POV makes the warriors three and Sif look entitled (which they are) but some of it is due to his anger over Loki's death. He's in the anger stage of grief and as such the warriors three and Sif appear as one more nail in Loki's coffin.


	2. Odin’s Palace (part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Asgard stood golden and immovable as ever. The wreckage caused by Malekith's attack was gone and the dark elves had returned to the tales where they belonged. Yet one person did not feel immovable or golden.  
>  _“Why don't you take a look at your Khal? Then you will see exactly what life is worth, when all the rest has gone.” - Mirri Maz Duur to Daenerys Targaryen_  
>  A splendid tale had been written in Asgard’s records of Thor’s victory over Malekith. Yet with Frigga and Loki lost in the battle was it truly a victory?

The sky was dark, and the stars twinkled like diamonds. The flowers in the garden had drooped a little the petals curled in as the plants slept. Crickets clicked in the background. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves of the trees. The moon’s light shone brightly on a huge fountain; water no longer trickled from it but had settled in the basin. The atmosphere was serene, yet loneliness could be felt in the air. In the daylight the garden seemed to wait for its mistress but here in the night it was haunted by memories of the past.

Thor POV

Thor turned on his side, he had been trying to sleep for the past hour, but sleep seemed to evade him as it did most days now. The sky was still dark outside. Thor could hear an owl hooting in the distance. Its sound the only noise in an otherwise peaceful night. ‘ _Might as well walk around for a bit. Being stuffed in this room isn’t getting me anywhere’_ Thor got up and put on a robe, slipped on his sandals, and ventured outside his room for the first time in 3 days. The palace of Asgard was huge, big tapestries, long pillars, and high walls. But for Thor it might as well have been a tiny shack. The palace had been his home for many centuries yet now Thor couldn’t bear walking its hallways.

Thor wandered aimlessly, eyes unfocused and lost in thought. He came back to himself when he stumbled on the steps that led to Queen Frigga’s garden. Thor smiled sadly and shook his head. Of course, he would come here. Thor had tried his best to avoid his mother’s garden for most of his youth. He had thought sitting around having tea with his mother a task a warrior wouldn’t partake in much. ‘ _Loki was right I am a fool’_ What Thor wouldn’t give now to have tea in the garden with his mother again!

‘ _There are many things I would do now that I once took for granted’_ He fingered a blue rose, the plants in this row of flowers were planted a bit crookedly. 10-year-old Loki hadn’t been very good with his lines he’d just wanted to help mother plant roses in the garden. He was such a happy child. Always smiling, always running around mother chattering away excitedly about his lessons. _‘What had happened to that Loki?’_ , Thor wondered. But he knew, he knew what had happened. **‘ _You are what happened…you and your ignorance are what happened’_** a voice whispered in Thor’s mind. He hated that voice. He hated how true its words were.

Thor let go of the rose and sighed, it had been like this since he’d returned from defeating Malekith. The voice condemned Thor in his waking hours and screamed at him in his dreams. He couldn’t escape it, not here, not in Asgard where his mother’s life had ebbed away, where Loki’s soul had twisted until Thor couldn’t find his sweet, caring brother anymore. No Malekith wasn’t the one who’d been defeated. ‘ _I’m the one who lost.’_ The Thor of a few years past would have said that dying in battle was an honour. Anyone would be fortunate to die defending Asgard more so the universe. But this Thor couldn’t see what good that honour did when the ones you love are lost forever.

‘ _I need to get away from this place’_ It was true he needed to get away. Fath-Odin had been cold and distant since Thor’s return. He’d praised Thor’s bravery and valour and thrown a feast to celebrate his victory. But his eyes had held disapproval. It seems for Odin Thor disobeying him held more importance than the fact that Thor had defeated the dark elves once and for all. Never mind that Odin had wanted to keep the Aether in Asgard. He’d been adamant but thankfully the council’s logic of not keeping two infinity stones together had overruled him. Now, the Aether was with the Collector far away from Asgard. Thor had been happy to see it go. It was a painful reminder of his loss.

‘ _But where should I go’_ The warriors three and Sif had left 1 week prior to hunt the white stag which had been spotted in Alfheim. They had wanted Thor to come with. “It’ll be just like old times!!”, Sif had said a happy glint in her eyes .Thor had agreed wanting to spend time with his friends

But when Thor had been packing, he’d absentmindedly searched for a jar of honey. ‘ _Loki likes honey in his tea. It wouldn’t do to have him throw a tantrum if I forget it again’_ the thought had come before Thor knew it and just like that grief pierced his heart and tears came unbidden in his eyes. He’d sat down heavily on his bed. It could never be like old times again. Because Loki will never complain about Thor forgetting honey again. The thought felt like a brick in Thor’s stomach. He’d refused then. The warriors three and Sif had tried cajoling, but Thor was no longer in the mood. Might never be in the mood again.

‘ _This is pointless’_ The garden only made the pang in Thor’s heart worse. With a sigh he headed back to his room. Thor sat on his bed, shoulders dropped in defeat, head in his hands. He rubbed the stray tears from his face and looked up. A silk scarf caught his eye. ‘ _Jane’_ They had decided to take a break in their relationship. Thor too deep in grief to try and Jane exhausted and fed up of trying. But she had still hugged Thor and told him that he was welcome in her home anytime he wanted. She had even given a beautiful golden pen for Loki’s funeral. “As a grave offering”, she’d said, “I read that was something the Vikings did. I figured you always say Loki was a scholar. He might want something to represent that in his funeral” Grave offerings also had to be worthy of the status of the person. A golden pen was woefully inadequate for the prince Loki had been, but Thor had been touched by the gesture nonetheless ‘ _Maybe we are better off as friends’_ She was certainly more than Thor deserved. He knew that now. She’d wanted to come to Loki’s funeral. But Thor didn’t want Odin looking at her disapprovingly again. Or worse calling her a goat again. ‘ _Why is he so condescending to the humans? They might have short lives, but they make the most of it. So, what if they are flawed they are beautiful in their own way’_ Weren’t the Aesir flawed too though? Could anyone really be perfect?

‘ _There’s also the Avengers’_ They hadn’t helped in Malekith’s attack, unaware or too far away to come to Thor's aid. But Stark had shown up in the aftermath, half out of breath and speaking too fast for Thor to understand with the Allspeak. He had helped though once Jane and Darcy had managed to calm him down. The “police” of London had wanted to bring Thor in for questioning, but Stark had made one phone call and they had scattered like ants. He’d then proceeded to fawn over the readings Jane’s crew had managed to capture during the attack and helped move the debris. Thor had been amused; the tiny man reminded him of the dwarves who were always looking to improve their weapons. Stark was more versatile though, he invented all sorts of things tirelessly and often without proper purpose if the tales of his bot ‘Dummy’ were true. He had offered Thor an entire floor in his tower; not for the first time. But Thor knew he needed to meet with Odin first. “The door’s open anytime you want it, Pointbreak”, Stark had said before taking off.

‘ _Maybe, I should accept it._ ’ Yes, that’s what Thor needed. He needed a change of scenery as the humans say. ‘ _And maybe I might find Loki hiding there. Maybe it will all turn out to be another trick’_ It was wishful thinking Thor knew. But Loki had come back from the Void hadn’t he? That had felt like a miracle. ‘ _Just one more miracle. Please, one more time. I promise I won’t waste it again’_ Mind made up Thor got up with purpose and began packing. He should probably talk to Odin first. But it didn’t matter his mind was made up. He would leave, with or without Odin’s blessing. He no longer needed that man’s stamp of approval. This war had brought on one good thing, Thor was his own man now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to give some background to the events after Loki's death. As I said before this is cannon divergent. So Odin is truly Odin and not Loki in disguise of Odin. That is why Thor is still in Asgard as Odin wouldn't just let him leave and Thor worn with grief wouldn't want to argue much. That said I feel real Odin's reaction to Thor's actions in TDW would probably be cold indifference at best and outright anger at worst. Regardless it would be eye opening for Thor and I wanted to bring that out here.


	3. Locke Inn (part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The never-ending hunt had finally ended. Zaaroc hadn’t expected that the warriors three and Sif would decide to turn around without their prize nor had he expected the cause for this decision. Thor after all was the most unwilling to change of them all.  
>  _“Change is like death. You don’t know what it looks like until you’re standing at the gates.”- Ian Malcolm_  
>  Change is the only constant in this universe. It comes slowly but surely to even the most stubborn. How this change is taken is another matter entirely though

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to clear up the timeline a bit. This story is set after Loki's death in Thor: TDW.  
> 3 months after Loki's death the warriors three and Sif head out to hunt the white stag  
> Chapter 2 happens 1 week after they have left and Thor decides to leave too  
> Chapter 1 happens 1 week after that i.e. 3 months and 2 weeks after Loki's death and 1 week after Thor decides to leave Asgard.  
> Chapter 3 happens 1 week after chapter 1 i.e. 3 months and 3 weeks after Loki's death and 2 weeks after Thor decides to leave Asgard.  
> I hope its not too confusing. I'm working on being more clear with the timeline (otherwise it'll be a nightmare as the story expands to cover more of the MCU. lol)

Zaaroc POV

Zaaroc had not expected to be back at Locke’s Inn so soon again. He had thought he’d have to endure another 3-4 weeks of pointless wandering in the forest. Pointless, because for all their fame across the realms the warriors three and lady Sif hadn’t been very successful in catching the white stag. It was long gone from Alfheim. Had been gone for a while now, as per the message that had come when they had last stopped at the inn a week ago. Not that Zaaroc was going to go around pointing this out. The last time he’d tried to help with the hunt suggesting a magical trap, Sif had sneered at him and said that cowards used tricks, real warriors faced all challenges head on. Zaaroc had given up then. It was like pouring water over a stone. No use fighting a war you can’t win.

Now he, was sitting at a table in the corner of the inn, Volstagg was stuffing his face as per usual, Hogun was looking out the window, Fandral stared at his mug as if it held all the answers of the universe and Sif was scowling at the table. The silence was stifling broken only by the sounds of Volstagg chewing and Fandral occasionally sipping his ale. _‘Well at least I am spared the torture of hearing their tales of glorious battle’_ “But why would he decide to leave?!!”, Sif exclaimed suddenly, bringing her fist down on the table, startling Zaaroc. “I don’t know…He’d gotten so quiet before we left….remember? The queen and Loki both dying is a bit hard on him”, Fandral said, rubbing his chin contemplatively. Zaaroc raised his eyebrows in surprise. He didn’t think Fandral would have the sense to include Loki in the list of people whose death Thor would mourn. _‘Huh, I guess I should follow my own advice and not judge too quickly’_ It was hard though previous experiences made Zaaroc wary. _‘Still keeping an eye open couldn’t hurt’_ Zaaroc did always believe that people were capable of change. _‘They just don’t try very often though’_

Sif’s expression turned sour, and her face became all red, Zaaroc eyed the door and wondered how long it would take to get there if she exploded. “There’s nothing about Loki’s death to mourn!! He was a traitor!! He betrayed Thor and tried to kill him!! He tried to invade Midgard!! He was justly punished!! He had no reason to turn against Thor!! Thor always paid too much attention to that ungrateful snake!! So, what if he’s dead?!! Its what he deserved anyway!!”, Sif was panting by the end. The entire inn had gone silent, everyone was looking their way now, Fandral hunched down in his seat. Zaaroc barely controlled himself from punching the damm woman. Had no one taught her any manners? Would she stoop so low as to slander the dead? Zaaroc looked around in an attempt to calm himself. Gerad Locke was looking at Sif with a frown on his face, his wife Helda was glaring at them. In fact, most people were staring at Sif with disgust. _‘Oh right, this isn’t Asgard’_ The people of Zaaroc’s realm had always liked Prince Loki more anyways. He was a gifted mage and he didn’t insult them every time he opened his mouth unlike a certain other Prince of Asgard. _‘You will find no friends here Lady Sif’_ Zaaroc smirked to himself and sat straighter in his chair, “Lady Sif if I may interject. Please do not speak of Prince Loki in such a manner. We elves mourn our dead for a year. It’s barely been 3 months since Prince Loki passed. It is not so surprising that Prince Thor mourns still. And please if I may, consider your surroundings, do not speak ill of the dead. ‘Tis not taken so kindly here as it might be in Asgard. We do not feast when our loved ones pass, we remember them in solitude and whatever their deeds in life once they have crossed over these matters are for the Norns to speak on not us.”, Zaaroc said in the most neutral tone he could manage.

Fandral, Hogun and Volstagg looked around and noticed the stares. Sif puffed her chest out and looked ready to argue but Hogun put a hand on her shoulder, “Maybe, if we hurry, we might still catch Thor at the Bifrost”. He looked a little desperate, probably realizing that without Thor’s presence the elves had no reason to tolerate them more than the bare minimum needed. _‘Good, at least one of them has some sense’_ Sif backed away and stood up. “Yes, we must hurry. Maybe we can go with him if we manage to get there in time.” Zaaroc didn’t think that was what Thor wanted if he was leaving without them in the first place but he kept that to himself. They all hurried out and Zaaroc paid Gerad on the way out. Outside, Sif was looking at the sky ready to call the Bifrost. _‘Don’t think Gerad would appreciate it if his inn’s door is charred.’_ “Why don’t we move a little to side, my lady”, Zaaroc once again put on his most pleasant tone. This time Volstagg was quick to react moving to the opposite side from the inn. Sif frowned but had no choice but to follow. Fandral looked back at him, “We didn’t mean any disrespect you know. Sif gets a little passionate when it comes to Thor.” Zaaroc raised his eyebrows in surprise a second time, then tried to control his expression, Fandral caught it though. “I know that’s simplifying it a bit.”, He looked down sighing, “You know I wonder though why. Loki always loved books more than weapons. He was always so calm, preferred to negotiate rather than fight. I never got why he was so adamant on destroying Jotunheim. He was always telling Thor to use his words and then he just…” Fandral made a shooing motion with his hand as he trailed off. _‘Oh Norns! They don’t know’_ “Come on!! Fandral let’s go!!” Sif yelled. Fandral looked back and nodded to her, “Yeah..um..thanks for helping us you know. We would have been lost in the forest without you”, Fandral shrugged and joined his companions. Zaaroc was frozen. _‘Oh Norns! They don’t know’_ Hogun yelled for Heimdall and the Bifrost took the warriors three and Sif away. Zaaroc blinked. _‘They don’t know… They don’t know Loki was adopted. They don’t know he was a Jotunn’_ Well that changed things….

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't think there's a scene where the Warriors Three and Sif find out that Loki is a Jotunn. For that matter I couldn't find a scene where Thor finds out either (please correct me if I'm wrong) Also I always found Sif to be the most hostile towards Loki. Hogun's probably neutral considering that he's from Vanaheim. Fandral appears most friendly at least from their interaction in the scene in Thor:TDW where they escape from Asgard. Volstagg probably shares Sif's views but is less outspoken about it. Sif is definitely the most hot headed of the group barring Thor.  
> Also its a shame MCU did not show the rest of the nine realms. I mean am I supposed to believe that the nine realms all collectively put Thor on a pedestal? Especially realms like Alfheim and Vanheim where knowledge is more respected. I think not. Some one somewhere must have disagreed we just never got to see it.


	4. Odin’s Palace (part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor had once been a very confident man. Most would say overconfident. He had also been late. Late to his lessons. Late to the council meetings. Late to reach his mother. Late to reach his brother. He wanted to change this habit of being late. But it was all for naught. It was too late. As always Thor was too late
> 
> _“No matter how much you change, you still have to pay the price for the things you've done. - Doug MacRay”_
> 
> Yes, Thor was paying the price. The price for being too late. And yet isn’t it better to change late as it may be than to never change at all?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my longest chapter yet...Took a while as I wanted to bring out Loki's thought process in Thor 1 to the fore front. This is my interpretation of it...

Thor stood in front of the double doors, his bag lay forgotten at his feet. The doors were made of dark wood with gold inlaying, they had a beautiful image of Yggdrasil carved into them. Not everyone could open the doors, Loki and later his mother had made sure of it. The spell would not even let Odin in. Thor had not been here since before his not-coronation. When Loki had fallen (let go) Thor couldn’t bring himself to even pass through this section of the palace. When Loki was in the dungeons he had avoided all the places that reminded him of Loki too blind in his anger. His mother had frequented this room and she had strengthened the spell Loki had set on the doors. Odin had been furious but his mother had stood her ground. She had told Thor though that he was welcome to the room if he wanted.Thor had shaken his head and told her Loki wouldn’t have welcomed him. “I only strengthened the spell. I did not change it. You were always permitted, Thor. And as always you fail to see just how much you meant to him”, she’d said with a sad smile. Thor had been speechless, he really did not think Loki would have granted him such a privilege.

Still he had not come here. But he was leaving now and he wasn’t sure when or if he would come back. He did not want to leave without visiting Loki’s room. _‘_ **_Because you are not so confident of what Odin will do to it once you are gone. Because you fear it might be gone when you next think to look for it. Because you are afraid of being too late once again’_ ** That voice whispered again...Thor was getting sick of it, but he had no way of shutting it out. Well no use staring at the doors. Thor swallowed, his throat suddenly felt dry. With a sigh he pushed at the doors, a wall of light shimmered briefly and then Thor suddenly found himself inside Loki’s room. He looked back, the doors were still closed as if they had never been open. _‘A portal?’_ Thor wouldn’t know, it was discovered early on that he could perform only the most basic of magic, Loki was the one with the aptitude for more complicated spells.

Thor looked around and his heart stopped. Books were strewn across Loki’s desk, the bed was unmade, a flagon of wine sat next to a bowl of fruits on the table near the fireplace. It was as if Loki had never left. Thor half expected Loki to walk out of the bathing chamber looking for his armor. _‘There must be a spell on the entire room, not just the door.’_ Thor took a deep breath. He closed his eyes and opened them again. It didn’t help, his heart hurt, the room looked lived in but it had been abandoned for a long time now. And Loki was never going to live in it again. _‘I can’t do this. It was a mistake coming here. I need to_ **_get away._ ** _Away from Asgard. Away from Loki’s ghost.’_

Thor was having a hard time breathing. The walls seemed to be closing in on him. The more he tried to breathe the more air seemed to be stolen from his lungs _‘A panic attack.’_ That’s what Stark had called it. He had them often. “I have JARVIS programmed to shake me out of it. He helps me recount something for each sense. A smell, a sound, a touch. You have to ground yourself, you see to the reality of your surroundings.”, he’d said with a sardonic smile. _‘Ground myself’_ Easier said than done. Thor closed his eyes again. “Focus Thor, stop speaking and try listening. Hear the air, feel how it moves through your hair, smell the scent it carries with it. Stop trying to control your mind, let it go”, Loki’s voice echoed in Thor’s mind, a memory from long ago, when Loki had been willing to teach and Thor had been willing to learn. Thor could smell the scent of books and ink, he could hear the pages rustling as wind blew in from the balcony, he could feel the plush carpet in his fingers, there was a low hum in the air, beneath all the physical senses, something that touched the core of lightning in Thor’s heart. “Let go”, Loki’s voice whispered and so Thor did.

 **When Thor opened his eyes, he was lying on the divan in the balcony of Loki’s room. It was dark, the stars twinkled.** **_‘When did it become night?’_ ** **Thor wondered how much time had passed. It occurred to him that he had been inside Loki’s room.** **_‘When did I move out here?’_ The stars did not offer any answers. Thor sighed and got up, cracking his neck to ease the pain there. He walked back into Loki’s room and his heart stopped a second time that day. Fire burned in the fireplace and Loki...Loki! stood with his back to Thor his hand on the mantle above the fireplace. He was wearing his armor minus the helm the one he had worn so long ago, to Thor’s not-coronation. His hair was short too. **

**_‘I have finally lost it. This is what it must be to lose your mind.’_** **Did insane people wonder if they were insane? Thor wouldn’t know. Thor was still lost in thought, when Loki turned. His eyes were red, there were tear tracks on his face. He looked tired and worn down as if he had no energy left in his body. Thor couldn’t remember when he’d last seen Loki look this tired. “I’m not truly here if that’s what you are wondering.”, Loki said. Thor knew he should say something but words seemed too difficult at the moment. Loki...was he Loki?...Loki’s ghost?...His shadow? moved and sat down heavily on the chair near his desk.**

**“If you are seeing this, it means I’m long gone from Asgard. This is just a projection so don’t bother trying to talk. Just listen. For once please just listen.” Loki pleaded. “It was me, I’m the one who let the Jotunns into the vault. I...I did not mean for the guards to die...I..I…”, Loki looked down, “I only wanted to stop the coronation.” Loki got up a desperate gleam in his eyes, “You...you weren’t ready. You weren’t ready Thor. And...and no one would listen…..I tried...you have to believe me...I tried….I went to mother….I went to father….I went to General Tyr….I went to Uncle Villi and Uncle Ve…..I went to Heimdall….I tried to tell them….but they all thought I was jealous”, Loki laughed bitterly, “Jealous...jealous of a throne I don’t even want..Jealous…”, Loki trailed off looking at the sky outside, “I may be jealous but not because I want the throne. I am jealous yes...but only of the easy acceptance you have...I try….I try so hard Thor but they never accept me...Father….the council….our friends….the people….they all look at me like I don’t belong here…..and now…”, Loki’s voice wavered, “Now I realize why...it's because I don’t...I don’t belong here...I never did….”, tears streamed down Loki’s face, “I was never meant to be here….And….and...and...I’m one of THEM!!...one of those monsters!!...I’m….I’m….I’m….I’m not your brother at all….I’m your enemy….” Loki looked at Thor in horror, “I’m a Jotunn!!!”**

**Loki’s breath came out in short pants, chest heaving, eyes moving frantically ‘** **_A panic attack’_ ** **Thor’s mind supplied unhelpfully. Loki moved to the mantle again, fingers gripping it till his knuckles turned white. He licked his lips, “And I wonder….why? Why bring me here? Why bring us up with tales of how monstrous the Jotunns are? I wonder did you know all this time? Did our friends know? Is that why I was always rejected? But there are no answers...fath-Odin told me I was twisting his words….mother tells me they did not want me to feel different”, Loki scoffed, “As if...I’ve always felt different….And to think I only wanted more time….time so that you may learn to rule a bit better….time to curb your temper…..I even made a gift for you…..something to protect you always….I only wanted some time Thor...so that you may learn…..so that Asgard may have a capable ruler….I would have been happy being your advisor….or even with just a seat on the council….Was it too much?!!....was it too much to ask?!!” Loki was mostly talking to himself now.**

**Thor wanted to embrace him, wanted to tell him that it wasn’t too much, wanted to assure him that he had not known Loki was adopted,wanted to tell him that it did not matter that he was. Wanted to curse all who had called the Jotunns monsters. Wanted to ask Odin why he hadn’t stopped Thor from spitting vitriol against them all these years. Wanted to tell Loki that he wanted him to stand by his side. Wanted to tell him that Thor couldn’t imagine ruling without Loki as his advisor. But he could only watch. Loki was pacing now talking to himself, becoming more restless by the second, “I’ll show it to them….I’ll show everyone….I am your equal….the monster underneath my skin doesn’t control me...I am Aesir!!.....I am Aesir like the rest of them….Yes...yes…..I just need them to see my loyalty lies with Asgard…..I’ll…..I’ll….I’ll destroy those monsters….yes….yes...that’s it…..I’ll destroy every last one of them and then….and then…...they’ll realize my loyalty is here to Asgard….They’ll accept me…..yes…..they’ll have to accept me then…..” Loki was manic now. Thor swallowed, he was sure Loki had forgotten that he’d wanted to record a message for Thor. There was a gleam in his eyes, the same one Thor had seen on the Bifrost when Loki had set it to destroy Jotunheim. Loki summoned his helm and stormed out of his room. Thor’s vision blurred, his head felt heavy. “Let go, let go, Thor'', Loki’s voice whispered once more. What choice did Thor have but to obey?**

This time there was a sharp pain in his head and sun burned behind his eyelids. Thor opened his eyes and found himself in Loki’s room lying on the carpet. The hum that had been in the air was gone. The room felt strangely empty. Thor rubbed his eyes. _‘Is this why mother insisted I visit Loki’s room? Did she know he left this message for me?’_ There were no answers, his mother was gone and all Thor had left were questions. Thor bit his lip, Loki had clearly not been in his right mind by the end of the message. Had no one in the palace noticed? Did no one bother reaching out to him? **_‘And when would they have reached out to Loki? Your friends came running to you the first chance they got. Your mother refused to leave Odin long enough to help Loki rule. Heimdall favored you and your friends as always. It is as Loki said they never accepted him’_ ** The voice was angry now. Thor felt angry too but at himself. _‘I am not without blame either. I failed too...I failed to see the bias right in front of my eyes and Loki suffered for it’_ Too late Thor thought bitterly as always too late.

But something else nagged inside Thor’s mind. What had Loki said? **“I even made a gift for you…...something to protect you always”** Yes! That's what he’d said! A gift! Something made by Loki that Thor may carry with him always. Thor looked around. The chest beside Loki’s bed caught his eye. There was no lock on it, just a simple latch but Thor wasn’t fooled. It was probably spelled like the rest of the room. Still Thor walked over to it. He opened the latch and tried to lift the lid, there was slight resistance and Thor cut his finger on the edge of the latch. Thor pulled his hand back yelping. His blood on the latch flowed upward instead of downward until it covered the latch. Thor watched fascinated as runes formed on the latch and it glowed slightly absorbing his blood. He reached out his hand and lifted the latch again, this time there was no resistance. Thor opened the lid and peered inside. The chest contained a few old books, some bottles with different colored liquids and glass jars with all sorts of things from dried herbs to what looked like a bilgesnipe carcass. _‘Best not open that one.’_ The jars were probably made to hold more than their normal capacity. What caught Thor’s eye was an envelope tied to a square box lying in one corner of the chest. **_‘King Thor’_ ** It was addressed to him. Thor picked it up, his heart racing. He carefully closed the chest again and sat down cross legged on the floor with the box in his lap. 

Thor fingered his name in Loki’s penmanship. He undid the string and opened the envelope a letter slid out. Thor opened it: 

**_“King Thor,_ **

**_I am called the God of Lies but to say that this day comes as a surprise would be a lie even I'm not capable of pulling off._ **

**_You were meant to rule Asgard that much I always knew._ **

**_I give you this gift as you take your place with the Kings of Asgard._ **

**_It will protect your body and mind alike from all foes. If you hold it and call for help, help shall reach you no matter which edge of the universe you find yourself in._ **

**_May your reign be long and prosperous. May Asgard ‘s light shine brighter in your reign than it did in your predecessors’._ **

**_I know you are capable of being more than a great king. You are capable of being a good one._ **

**_I will stand by you always if you will let me_ **

**_Sometimes I am envious, but never doubt that I love you._ **

**_Loki”_ **

Thor blinked to clear the tears gathered in his eyes. He carefully folded the letter and slid it inside the envelope again. Thor picked up the box. It was a simple wooden box with Loki’s sigil carved on the top. He opened the box. Inside was lined with velvet. A ring sat in the middle. The metal was Uru Thor could tell. It had a Sapphire in the center. The band had Mjolnir carved on both sides of the Sapphire. Thor lifted the ring and squinted at it. He could make out tiny runes carved in the band. **_“It will protect your body and mind alike from all foes”_ ** Thor caught the words hidden behind **_“If there ever comes a time when I’m not there to do so myself”_ ** Norns! Had Loki always expected that Thor would one day cast him aside? Had Thor been truly so terrible?

 _‘No, but then I wasn’t always good either’_ Thor stared at the ring. The runes were probably protection charms and Loki might have poured his magic in the Sapphire. A few years past Thor might have scoffed at such a gift. A gift made by a mage infused with magic. Would have thought it an insult to a warrior and especially a King. But this Thor stared at it in wonder. A gift made by his **brother** infused with his **brother’s magic** . His **brother’s essence** . It was more valuable than any other gift Thor had ever received. He quickly slid the ring on his right hand. The sapphire and the runes of the ring glowed briefly. Thor felt a presence settle near his core of lightning. It felt like a crisp breeze, on a cold morning the kind that was pleasant but made you shiver. The kind only Loki would have appreciated. It felt like Loki. Thor smiled a bit sadly. _‘Yes I learn slower than others and often too late.’_ But learn he did.

Thor got up, slid the box and the envelope in the folds of his tunic and walked over to the double doors again. He looked back one last time. At the books strewn on Loki’s desk, the unmade bed, the wine and fruits on the table, the fireplace that had grown cold long back. _‘Farewell brother may we see each other in Vahalla one day’_ Thor pushed at the doors again and found himself in the hallway once more. He sighed and picked his bag up again. _‘Right then, to the throne room now and then I shall finally leave this wretched place’_ Thor hurried, walking briskly the sun had begun sinking low in the sky. He had lost a lot of daylight. The sooner he talked to Odin the better, he wanted to leave before night came.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The ring is very important. I want to add an image. But as I said I'm still not very familiar with the Archive editor. But I'll try to get it attached in the next few days. Thor is left alone to his thoughts at the moment and that helps in putting a lot into perspective for him. He needs this though. He needs to think for himself. He needs to form his own morals Something I always felt was missing in MCU Thor who seems to follow Odin and Asgard's ideals even when Hela comes into the picture tearing the golden image down


	5. Odin’s Palace (part 3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If someone looked at the royal family of Asgard or what was left of it, they would say that the bond between father and son hasn’t changed. The same love and respect could be seen today. Yes they looked a little weary but that is understandable considering all that had happened  
>    
> _“When you get a different vantage point it changes your perspective… It allows you to see things you should have seen a long time ago.” – Neil Armstrong_  
>    
> If someone asked Thor he would say no bond had ever truly existed between him and his father and the love and respect had always been one-sided

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thor might seem a bit OOC. But we all often tend to act like the people we miss. Thor has been thinking of Loki a lot and as such he's begun to subconsciously react to things the way he assumes Loki would. And its mixed with the resentment he's been feeling towards Odin and Asgard in general. Its beginning to affect his interactions with Odin and other people of Asgard  
> Also Loki was Thor's brother for many hundred years, Thor's picked up a few things from him. He just did not use them till now.

Thor POV 

Thor stood outside Odin’s study. He’d been late in getting to the throne room, Odin had retired for the day already. His Uncle Vili had eyed his bag but made no comment. Thor then had to walk to the other end of the palace to Odin’s study. At one time he might have just walked in but now he stood outside as the guard went in to announce his presence first. “You can go in now, My Prince”, the guard said. Thor left his bag outside and went in.

Odin was seated at his desk writing, Gungir leaned back against the wall. He didn’t look up as Thor came in and Thor waited for him to acknowledge his presence. “Won’t you even sit with me now, my son”, Odin said as he finally looked up. Thor shuffled his feet. Even now after all this time, after everything that had happened Odin still made him feel like a child. “I wish to leave before nightfall, Father.”, the word sounded wrong in Thor’s mouth but he forced it out anyways.

“Ah, you wish to join your friends on the hunt in Alfheim. You need not have asked Thor, of course you may leave.”, Odin waved a hand at him dismissing him and continued writing. Thor swallowed, “No, I do not wish to go to Alfheim. I am actually leaving for Midgard.” The tip of the pen Odin was writing with broke. Odin raised his head slowly, his lone eye narrowed. Thor stood a bit straighter. _‘I will not back down. Not this time’_

Odin set the pen aside and leaned back in his chair sighing. “We have talked about this before Thor. The mortals are nothing. They are like the wind. Here today gone tomorrow. Your little mortal woman will not live even a hundred years. You are to be king. You are to rule the nine realms. You wish to make that mortal your queen? Do you think she will be accepted? That she will be fit to rule Gods? No, it is time you put your selfish wants aside and thought of Asgard and the other realms.”, Odin frowned at Thor in displeasure.

Once Thor might have been affected. But who was Odin to call Thor selfish? Odin who had taken Loki for his own gain, then cast him aside when he refused to bend to Odin’s will. **_“Pick your battles Thor. Not every fight needs to be won. One may lose an argument but still win the war”_ ** Loki had said that to Thor a long time ago. A time when Thor looked for a fight around every corner. As he looked at Odin waiting for Thor to argue, waiting, ready to strike him down when he did, he understood what Loki had meant now. 

Thor hunched his shoulders and looked down, hair falling in his face, the picture of despair. “Jane does not wish to continue our relationship any more. She feels the same. She thinks her mortality will only cause me pain if we continue our association. We have decided to just remain friends.” Thor looked at Odin from under his eyelashes. 

Odin was smiling satisfied but quickly controlled his expression. He got up and came around the desk, putting a hand on Thor’s shoulder. “I underestimated her then. It seems she is wise beyond her years. She is right to spare you the pain of losing her Thor. Tell me why this desire to go to Midgard then?”

This was a dangerous slope. Thor needed Odin to approve this trip. He was willing to fight Odin if he disagreed but he'd rather get him to agree. **_“Pick your battles.”_ **Yes, he needed to pick his battles. Right now Odin held all the cards. If he felt he couldn’t control Thor, he could easily remove him from the line of succession. He had after all banished Thor on the day of his coronation. If Odin did not think it a big deal to banish Thor when he was so close to being King then he wouldn't hesitate now. 

"I wished to meet with my shield-brothers on Midgard. I had left in a hurry after Malekith was defeated and I wish to see how Midgard fares.", Thor bit his lip and furrowed his brow as if in thought, “And it occured to me that Loki’s scepter is still on Midgard. He had used it to control the mortals and make them do his bidding. I fear such a powerful weapon must not be left on Midgard. It can be misused easily. I wish to retrieve it and bring it to Asgard….” Thor trailed off and looked expectantly at Odin.

Odin sat down at his desk again. Thor had thought long and hard and finally came to the conclusion that Odin would let him leave only if he gained something from it. He’d been thinking of Loki when he realised that Loki’s scepter was still on Midgard. Thor didn’t lie about that he was worried it might be misused. But it also served as a good excuse and Thor hoped Odin would take the bait.

“Yes…”, Odin speaking pulled Thor from his thoughts, “Yes...we must not leave it with the mortals.” Odin looked at Thor with approval in a way he hadn’t in a long time. Once that look had been enough to make Thor puff with pride. _‘What an idiot I am! He only appreciates me when it furthers his goals’_ Thor scoffed internally. It was true though, Thor was beginning to realize that Odin was never truly going to stop ruling Asgard. He’d been shoving his ideals on Thor since childhood and as long as Thor seemed to follow them he was Odin’s golden son, worthy of the throne. 

‘ _But the minute I deviate, I am cast out’_ Odin hadn’t banished Thor because he’d wrongfully attacked Jotunheim. He’d banished Thor because in doing so Thor had disobeyed Odin. _‘I bet he himself wanted to attack them, but didn’t because it would tarnish his image as a benevolent ruler’_

Sif had told Thor that Loki had sent a guard to warn Odin of their leaving for Jotunheim. Thor had been surprised. If Loki had sent word to Odin, how had they even reached Heimdall? They should have been stopped at the palace courtyard itself. The more Thor thought about it the less sense it made for them to be able to leave Asgard so easily. No guard questioned them. The weapon keeper never stopped Sif and the others from gathering weapons. They reached the Bifrost without a single soldier being sent after them. **_‘He let it happen. He knew what you were doing. Probably knew where it would lead and he let it happen anyway’_** The voice cooed in Thor’s mind.

Thor mentally shook his head. Odin was still speaking, going on about how Asgard has always protected the realms not just from outside threats but from internal threats too and it was good that Thor was taking this initiative. “Thank you father”, Thor interrupted, before he was tempted to punch Odin to shut him up, “Do I have your blessing then?”

Odin stared at him, his mouth still open, a hand frozen mid gesture. He composed himself, “Ah, yes Thor of course you have my blessing. It would be good to have the scepter locked in the vault away from those who might use it to cause chaos.” “Thank you father. I shall leave immediately then.”, Thor moved in the direction of the door, escaping before Odin could change his mind. The last thing he saw before closing the door was Odin’s face a bit stunned at how fast Thor had moved. 

Thor picked his bag up and hurried to the stables. The sun was setting now. Once saddled, he looked back at the palace again. The palace was bathed red in the glow of the setting sun. Thor thought the color rather suited it. It made the palace look intimidating and cold. _‘And unwelcoming’_ Which was fitting considering that it no longer felt like home to Thor. Shaking his head, Thor looked ahead again and set off towards the Bifrost.

Heimdall was standing at his station as usual. He turned and looked at Thor as he got down from his horse and gave it to a guard nearby to take it back to the palace. “My Prince”, Heimdall bowed slightly. “Heimdall, it is good to see you my friend. How do the realms fare?”, Thor asked a slight smile on his face. “The realms are well, Thor. Where are you headed? To Alfheim? ”, Heimdall replied a strange glint in his eyes.

“Not even close my friend. Open the passage to Midgard, Heimdall, I wish to be there promptly.” Thor moved closer to Heimdall and gripped his bag tighter waiting for the Bifrost to activate. “Is it wise to go alone Thor? Perhaps you should take the Warriors Three and Lady Sif with you”, Heimdall said, frowning at Thor.

Thor furrowed his brow, “They are on Alfheim hunting for the White Stag. I do not want them to abandon the hunt. It will be fine Heimdall, I only wish to visit my friends on Midgard”. “I have informed the Warriors Three and Sif of your plans, they are headed as we speak to a spot from which I may call them back to Asgard. And you also wish to retrieve Loki’s scepter. It is a dangerous weapon capable of bending people’s minds. You should take someone with you”, Heimdall replied in a concerned tone.

Thor frowned. Heimdall had told Sif and the others of his plans? On what basis? For that matter Thor hadn’t told anyone but Odin that he was going to Midgard, who did Heimdall hear it from? **_“No one has to tell him. He must have spied as he always does on your conversation with Odin”_ **, the voice sneered. Thor’s expression cleared and became completely blank.

“What I discuss with my father in his private quarters is not to be spied on Heimdall.”, Thor said flatly, “You should not have ‘informed’ the Warriors Three and Sif. I never gave you permission to do so. And I will not be alone. I have shield brothers on Midgard. They may be mortal but do not forget they thwarted Loki’s invasion with no help but mine. They are more than capable of defending me”

Heimdall looked at Thor with one eyebrow raised, “I watch over all on Asgard. I saw you going to Loki’s room earlier. You disappeared from my sight for quite some time.” Heimdall looked put off.

Thor’s mood soured. Is that what this was about? Thor visits his dead brother’s room and that means something is wrong with him now. Thor's vision turned red. He took a deep breath, trying to control his temper. He knew towards the end Heimdall and Loki did not get along, but this was a new low. “I will be gone for a while. I wanted to visit it before leaving. Mother looked after it and she often renewed the spells on the room. I was not aware you cannot see in Loki’s room.”, Thor said, putting on a confused expression.

At the mention of his mother, Heimdall backed away, “Ah, I see. Yes it's true Queen Frigga often frequented Loki’s room. I did not know she was the one to maintain the spells on the room….”, Heimdall trailed off. But what else could he say? It was one thing to call Loki’s magic suspicious, another to imply the same of the Queen of Asgard. _‘It shouldn’t be though’_

“She did, she even encouraged me many times to visit Loki’s room”, Thor said, just to make Heimdall uncomfortable. It worked, Heimdal shifted a little then grasped Hofund. “Where on Midgard do you wish to go, My Prince?”, Heimdall asked changing the subject. For a moment Thor wanted to pursue their conversation but then he let it go. _‘If I argue now I will be here forever’_ “To the desert where Lady Jane stays Heimdall”. Stark’s tower was in the middle of a crowded city, Thor did not want someone to get hurt when the Bifrost hit. Heimdall nodded and turned Hofund. The Bifrost activated and Thor closed his eyes letting it carry him away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And Thor is off Asgard. Finally.


	6. Thor's Ring (Not a Chapter)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finally figured out how to add an image (yay me!). Wanted to share the image of Thor's ring.

So, this is how the ring made by Loki which Thor now wears looks:

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who are wondering how Heimdall and Odin did not see this ring on Thor's finger or sense its magic, its a secret (that will be revealed in the coming chapters)


	7. The Black Castle (part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The castle was built very long ago. There was no record of it anywhere in the nine realms. The realm which it stood on was not spoken of often. All memory of the castle had been erased. Just like the memory of the one who lived in it.
> 
> _“And when history did not cooperate, history was changed.” - Dr. Arnim Zola_
> 
> The history of the castle and its inhabitants had been changed. The truth had been covered up. But the one who had changed history forgot one thing, those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the part where I make full use of the Alternate Universe tag. Not at all compliant with any Norse mythology/story/theory. We're in the part where we make our own world.  
> Also you might have noticed that the gardens show up only in specific chapters. This is because each garden depicts the mental state of one imp character of this fic.

The garden looked like it belonged in some tale of horror. The soil was black, the stems of the plants were black, the leaves were black and the flowers were of a deep red color. No sunlight ever fell on the plants. The sky was frozen in eternal night. The plants moved on their own. Their roots often twisted out the black soil to catch the occasional worm that could be found. This garden was not haunted or abandoned. In fact, its mistress tended to it often. Their mistress often tried to coax the plants to grow green leaves and colorful flowers. But it was all for naught. The plants could not be anything but what there were now. Once these plants had been different, once they had known light and had been of the light. But they did not belong to the light any more.

Inside the black castle:

A woman walked down the stairs, tracing the walls of the castle. The day had been dull as most days tended to be here. She stopped in front of a huge window that overlooked the castle grounds. The square was empty. A few fires were lit here and there where her guards had been sitting. But the grounds were empty. She looked at the sky.  _ ‘Dark as always’ _ She huffed and turned away. 

Life was often dull in the black castle. The castle was actually a collection of buildings with a square built in the middle. There was a huge fountain in the middle of the square. It had the statue of a woman along with two men who were facing away from her, bowing down, faces hidden in their hands. No water flowed from the fountain. The buildings all shared a wall with each other. The only light came from the lampposts built around the square and the occasional fires that the guards would build.

There weren’t many servants in the castle There weren’t many people to serve after all. Just one. The world outside the castle’s walls was barren, nothing grew in the black soil, just a few trees with barks as black as coal, and branches twisted and gnarled. No leaves or fruits ever grew on these trees. There were spots all over where the air shimmered. These were pockets. Little bubbles of reality. Inside each bubble was a lost soul. The souls could control what the world looked like inside their bubble. 

Some bubbles depicted houses where families lived peacefully. Others depicted people dying over and over again. Some bubbles showed towns being massacred and others showed towns being built. Each bubble was a product of whatever the soul whose bubble it was wanted it to be. But not all souls were aware that they were inside a bubble. The castle itself was a bubble that belonged to a very powerful soul. 

The woman walked across the castle square to the building on the other side. She pushed open the door and climbed up the giant staircase in the middle of the floor. At the top, she turned towards the hallway on the right. A tall man stood outside the door at the end of the hallway. The man’s skin was blue, lines marked his face and his eyes were red. He wore black vambraces and shoulder pads. His chest was bare and his lower body was covered only with a black loin cloth, he had no hair on his head. His feet were also bare and there was a heavy metal belt around his waist. 

He looked at the woman as she approached. “Any change?”, the woman asked. “No, he sleeps like he has since we brought him here”. “Hmm…”, the woman’s brow furrowed, “What did the healer say?” “The same as always. There are no wounds on his body. Yet his mind seems to think that he is injured. It keeps him from waking up.”, the man reported. “And? Any success in breaking his mental shields?”, the woman walked past the man and put a hand on the door. “None. The healer struggles to get past them. Today also it ended in her bleeding from the nose”, the woman nodded at the man and pushed the door open, entering the room.

The room was sparse with a huge bed in the middle. Two glass windows were situated on either side of the bed. On the bed lay a man, his skin was also blue covered with lines, he had long black hair, and he was wearing a green tunic and trousers. His chest rose up and down as he slept, not stirring even when the woman leaned down to study his face. “Maybe I should try again? Perhaps I will be able to break past the shields this time?”, the woman mused. The tall man(jotunn) looked at her with concern, “The last time you tried, you were stuck in a nightmare inside your own mind. It took me and Vidar to bring you back to reality and I almost lost an arm in the process.” 

“Yes, but last time I was caught unaware. He’s intelligent, the little jotunn. It's not just mental shields that protect his mind. It's a spell woven within the shields. It's designed to throw your own magic back at you with twice the force. I tried to enter his dreams and the spell threw that back at me by trapping me in my nightmares”, the woman explained.

The tall man frowned,”Are you sure? People cannot really die in this realm, but they can turn to energy and be absorbed by the realm itself. Vidar and I rather not turn to mist trying to free you out of your own mind” The woman looked back, one eyebrow raised, “And here I thought you loved me uncle. Didn’t you fight a war to try to get to me out of this wretched place?” The tall man continued to stare at her unblinking. The woman rolled her eyes, “Would you rather he continued to sleep for eternity? We must wake him. He is subconsciously drawing power from the realm. And the more power he absorbs the deeper his mind is trapped within itself. We must do something and we have to do it  **now** ”

The tall man’s lips thinned, his brow furrowed in thought. He sighed, “At least promise me you will pull out if you sense something going wrong”, he looked at the woman expectantly. “Ugh!!! Fine!!” The woman stood straight and put on a serious expression, “I promise, Uncle Laufey, I will pull out if the little jotunn’s mind grows teeth and tries to eat me”. The woman said in a sarcastic tone. 

Laufey rolled his eyes, “You behave like your mother too much, Hela. But I’ll take it. Let me call Vidar and the healer too just in case.  **Do not begin without us** ” Laufey said leaving the room. Hela huffed and crossed her arms over her chest glaring at her uncle’s back. Once Laufey was gone she looked back at the little jotunn on the bed.  _ ‘Cousin, he’s my cousin’ _ she mentally corrected herself. A cousin she did not know of until said cousin died and was cast to this realm.  _ ‘But that is not surprising. I am trapped here. Trapped as members of my family are born and die without ever knowing me’ _ An old anger burst in Hela’s heart. So many centuries had passed but this anger did not leave her, growing darker and uglier everyday.

She took a deep breath. Magic involving the mind must not be done when in emotional turmoil. That never ended well, Hela knew this from experience. Besides, she wanted her cousin to wake up. Laufey had told her that even he had not known her cousin had lived past the war with Odin. Odin had apparently taken the little jotunn to Asgard and kept him from Laufey all his life. He didn’t always look blue either. He could change his form to a pale skinned Asgardian! Hela was fascinated. Shapeshifters were rare among the Jotunn. Especially ones as talented in magic as her cousin seemed to be. He could also give Hela a more accurate account of how Asgard was now. Laufey had only second hand information and that was not enough to satisfy Hela.  _ ‘Yes, you need to wake up cousin. We have much to discuss’ _ Hela stroked Loki’s hair and smiled at him.

Laufey came back, Vidar on his heels. Vidar was also a jotunn. He was broader in the shoulder than Laufey and had a scar across his left eye that went all the way upto his eyebrow. Behind them, came the healer, Gro, she was Aesir and eyed the Jotunns warily. Hela shook her head. There had been tensions between the Aesir and Jotunn when Hela had been a princess on Asgard but the Aesir that came to this realm now seemed to hate the Jotunns vehemently. 

"Well then, Shall we begin?" Hela said, kneeling by Loki's head. Laufey nodded at her. He and Vidar moved on either side of Hela. Gro moved to the opposite end of the bed. Hela took a deep breath and centered herself. She reached out to her core and pulled a strand of power. Then she placed a hand on Loki's forehead. She dove in with the strand of power, feeling the shields around Loki's mind, looking for a way in. As she did this, she could glean Loki's surface thoughts.

**_“I did not come here to share our grief” a voice said, “Instead I offer you the chance of a far richer sacrament”_ **

**_“Vengeance and afterward, this cell”_ **

**_“You must be truly desperate to come to me for help”, another voice echoed around Hela. This one felt like it was coming from within the shield’s walls 'It's Loki then’_ **

**_“You betray me, and I will kill you”, that voice said again. This time Hela felt grief from within the shield. Her hand wavered. The grief was old and powerful. It threatened to overwhelm her and drown her. Hela pushed more of her power at the shield trying to find a positive emotion._ **

**_“Do that again! For me please!”, that voice sounded younger now. “I love snakes! Make another one please!” This time Hela felt warmth. ‘Hmm...It seems that the past holds more pleasant memories’ That was not so surprising._ **

**_“I’m going to rule all this one day..and you..you’ll be right here with me! Won’t you Loki?”_ **

**_“I’m not going to the lessons without him!! I’m gonna stay here and play!”_ **

**_“He’s so tiny! Can I hold him pleaaaase?”_ **

**_The voice kept speaking and Hela followed it. Finally she found a crack in the shield. It wasn’t very big. But it was all Hela needed. She gathered her power and pushed once more. Light surrounded Hela and she felt herself being pulled inside the shield. Hela closed her eyes and let go…._ **

TBC...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to leave it here because a trip in Loki's mindscape deserves to be its own chapter. How Hela is related to Laufey will be more clear as we progress. For now the things to be noted are this:  
> 1\. Loki's in Helheim the realm of the dead  
> 2\. Helheim in not some hellish torture chamber, the dead can live peacefully in their respective bubbles of reality.  
> 3\. Max souls are not aware of the above fact and so live blissfully unaware that they are dead.  
> 4\. Powerful people like Hela can have others inside their bubble.  
> 5\. Loki is stuck inside his own mind and his mental shields are preventing Hela and co. from waking him.  
> 6\. Hela and Laufey knew each other from before Hela's banishment (because no cover up is perfect. SOMEONE has to remember her)  
> 7\. Laufey did not know Loki was his son till now (its never shown in Thor 1 that he ever knew) He wants to get to know him  
> 8\. Most non Aesir / people who are not 'warriors' end up in Helheim even if they were good people when they were alive e.g. Vidar, Gro the healer etc.


	8. Mindscape (part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hela had only wanted to wake her cousin. It was meant to be a short trip in Loki’s mind to make him aware that he was in Helheim. Hela had not expected to find a kindred soul. Someone else whom Odin had betrayed
> 
> _“The mind is a universe and can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven.” ― John Milton_
> 
> Loki’s mindscape brought back feelings Hela had not visited in a long time. Hela thought maybe Odin had changed since she’d last seen him. But it seems some people never change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Weekends are great!! They give me more time to work on the story. I will say once again that this story does not claim to be accurate to Norse Mythology in any way.

Hela POV

When Hela opened her eyes, she found herself laying in a garden. She got up and looked around. Behind her stood the walls she had not seen in a long time. _‘Asgard’_ Hela thought looking around her eyes wide. _‘I’m in Asgard’_ But how did she get here? Hela closed her eyes and tried to recall what she had been doing. The sky above darkened and suddenly it was night. Hela looked up and frowned. ‘ _How?’_ The thought sparked suddenly in Hela’s mind. Of course! She wasn’t in Asgard! She was in Loki’s mind! Hela looked around again. She was impressed. Loki’s mindscape was very well built. Hela got up. _‘Now all I have to do is find where Loki has hidden himself’_ Hela decided to start with the throne room. Hopefully the representation of the palace that Loki had built in his mindscape had the same layout as the real one.

Hela walked the corridors, looking down each hallway. Like this, empty, the palace was beginning to make her uncomfortable. Hela also felt as if someone was watching her. _But that’s probably Loki’s subconscious, trying to figure out my presence’_ Hela stopped in front of the throne room and pushed open the doors. 

Walking inside, she saw the throne, it hadn’t changed at all. But when Hela looked up she was surprised. The mural on the ceiling was completely changed. It showed Odin in a golden light, a woman stood next to him, head slightly bowed. Hela squinted, she seemed familiar. _‘Frigga?!! of Vanaheim?!!’_ Hela’s eyebrows climbed up in surprise. The last she remembered Frigga had been leading the resistance against Asgard’s forces invading Vanaheim. _‘Wonder when that changed’_ The mural also showed two young men. One was Loki, Hela realised. The other had blonde hair and was wearing armor with a red cape. He reminded Hela of Odin. _‘Certainly looks like him. This must be the prince Laufey told me about. Thor’_ Hela looked at the other murals, all depicting Odin as benevolent and just. Showing him making peace with the other realms spreading prosperity. Hela snorted. Peace and Odin didn’t belong in the same sentence. Still she wondered if anyone even knew of her. Had Odin truly overwritten Asgard’s history so thoroughly? Did nobody protest? Or maybe Odin silenced all who did. That was a disturbing thought. Hela shook her head, she was here to look for Loki.

Hela turned around and walked back out. Best not to dwell on Odin. It was day again. Hela frowned at the rapid change of time but let it go. She stood outside the throne room and tapped her chin in thought. _‘Where would Loki be?’_ Hela was at a disadvantage. She did not know Loki. Laufey too had a very brief interaction with Loki and could not tell her much about him. Gro, the healer didn’t have any deeper insight. All she’d said was that Loki liked to read and practiced magic. With Loki’s condition worsening every day Hela did not have the time to find someone on Helheim who could tell her more. _‘Still maybe I should try the palace library?’_ With no other clue to go on, Hela decided it was worth a try. She turned on her heels and headed for the library.

Unlike the other doors of the palace, this one was open. Hela walked in and started looking through the aisles. As she was going through the aisle in the right corner of the library, she heard rustling of pages. Hela turned looking for the source of the noise. She realised it was coming from behind the aisle. Hela walked to the end and looked behind the shelf. There, in the corner, was a small boy, around 7-8 years old. He wore a white shirt with black trousers and a green vest over the shirt. He was bent over a massive tome, which Hela recognized was a book of spells. As Hela opened her mouth to announce her presence, the boy turned and looked at her with wide eyes.

“Who are you?!!”, the boy said, backing away from Hela. She paused. Hela made a conscious effort to appear less intimidating and bent down. “Hello. I am Hela. I was looking for a book. I didn’t mean to scare you”, she said smiling slightly at the boy. The boy narrowed his eyes, looking at her suspiciously. “Who gave you permission to come here? This is the royal library. It is not open to outsiders.” Hela couldn’t help the anger that overtook her face. _‘I AM part of the royal family!’_ Reading the expression on her face, and taking advantage of her being momentarily distracted, the boy quickly wiggled out from behind the aisle and ran towards the library’s door. Hela sighed. _‘Well so much for trying to be nice’_ She frowned, then focused, this was a mindscape and Hela was a powerful witch. She teleported to the library door, preventing the boy from escaping.

The boy stumbled and stopped looking at Hela with wide eyes. “Trying to kidnap me won’t get you anywhere! You’ll never be able to leave unnoticed!”, said the boy eyeing the hallway outside. Hela looked at the boy appraisingly. ‘ _He’s not aware that none of this is real’_ . But one thing did not make sense. “How are **_you_ ** in this library? It is as you say reserved for the royal family” The boy looked at her as if she’d lost her mind. Then his brows furrowed and he looked angry. “I am **Prince Loki** . King Odin and Queen Frigga’s second born son! I have every right to be here! It is you who’s intruding!” Hela stared at the boy. She leaned in to look at him again. Yes, she could see the similarity now. His cheeks were softer and more filled out than his older counterpart but this was indeed Loki. _‘Huh. Well this is unexpected’_

Hela wondered if this was adult Loki who was trapped in his child form or if this was a fragment of Loki’s mind. She bit her lip. If this was a fragment then it was not a good sign. It meant Loki’s mind was fractured and his personality had split into various forms. “Well?!! Don’t just stand there like an idiot!! Explain yourself!!”, little Loki said crossing his arms over his chest trying to look intimidating. _‘Adorable is more like it,’_ Hela thought, smiling at him. That was apparently a bad idea as in the next moment a small dagger was flying through the air, towards Hela’s face. She held a hand up and stopped it midair, looking at Loki in surprise. Loki was frowning, apparently having expected the dagger to hit its mark.

 _‘It seems little Loki is more capable than I gave him credit for’_ Hela plucked the dagger from when it was frozen and twirled it in her hand. She smirked at her cousin, who apparently could summon daggers from nowhere. _‘We would have got along so well….’_ Hela thought wistfully, the dagger disappearing again. But it was no use crying over spilt milk. She needed to wake Loki up. She had to make this version of him aware that he was in his mindscape. “I apologize, Prince Loki. Let me introduce myself again. I am Hela, daughter of Angrboda. I am called the Goddess of Death”, Hela figured being straight forward was better but decided to keep the part about Odin being her father to herself. For now at least. 

Loki frowned. “Who’s Angrboda? I’ve never heard of him. And there is no Goddess of Death on Asgard.”, Loki said accusingly. “Angrboda is my mother and you probably haven’t heard of her because she is..was jotunn…”, Hela stopped. Even after all these centuries it hurt to think of her mother. Loki looked at her, eyes too perceptive for such a small child, but then his face changed to one of fear. “Jo...Jotunn?” Loki said, starting to hyperventilate, “Jotunn…” He clutched his head as if in pain. “Jotunn….I...I…”, his form started flickering and blurring. _‘Oh! It_ **_is_ ** _adult Loki trapped in his child form’_ Hela reached one hand out to grip Loki’s shoulder, but he backed away from her. The walls of the library started to waver and cracked. ‘ _NO! Not this! Not now’_ Hela realized that she had triggered a powerful memory. _‘If Loki gets lost in the memories, we’ll be trapped here forever!’_ Loki was still backing away from her, now screaming for the pain to stop. Hela tried to get to him, but the floor cracked and broke, Loki’s form blurred again, and when it came back in focus, adult Loki stood in place of the boy. At the same moment the floor gave way completely and Loki and Hela fell through.

Hela woke with a gasp. She was laying on the floor. She looked around. _‘It’s Odin’s vault’_ She was laying in the middle of the vault. Hela got up. In front of her stood Loki, back turned to her. He appeared to be holding something in his hand. Hela made to move towards him, but a voice stopped her. **_“Stop!”_ ** Hela froze. She recognized that voice. It haunted her often. She looked behind. It was Odin! But he wasn’t looking at Hela, rather he was looking past her as if she wasn’t there at all. This is a memory, Hela realized. This must be the memory she had triggered when she mentioned her mother.

 **“Am I cursed?”** , Loki said from behind her. Hela turned to look at him and saw that he was holding the Casket of Ancient Winters. He was also in his jotunn form. **“No. Put the Casket down.”** , Odin replied. Hela moved towards Loki standing to his right facing Odin. Loki set the Casket back upon its pedestal, his body quickly returning to its Aesir form and color. _‘Interesting. Loki considers his Aesir form as his natural form’_ That was odd. Unlike Hela, Loki was pure-blooded Jotunn. Any other form should feel not natural no matter how often he uses it. **“What am I?”** , Loki asked. **“You're my son.”** , Odin replied. Hela snorted. Only Odin would try to cling to the lie even when the truth stared him in the face. _‘How predictable. He hasn’t changed at all’_

 **“What more than that?”** , Loki demanded. Odin didn't answer. He looked suddenly weary, burdened. Loki sized him up, realizing the truth. **“The Casket wasn't the only thing you took from Jotunheim that day, was it?”** Odin looked Loki in the eye. He could deny it no longer. Hela smirked. It was nice to see Odin backed into a corner. She turned to look at Loki. But her cousin seemed lost. Hela looked at him in concern. _‘Maybe reliving this particular memory is not such a good idea’_ **“No. In the aftermath of the battle, I went into the Temple, and I found a baby. Small for a giant's offspring -- abandoned, suffering, left to die. Laufey's son.”** , Odin spoke, before Hela could decide how to shake Loki from the memory’s grip.

Hela narrowed her eyes and turned back towards Odin. _‘What did he say?’_ Beside her Loki seemed to break down at Odin’s words. He was saying something but Hela ignored him. This had already happened. She could bring no comfort to Loki. She focused back on Odin. Hela raised a hand and pushed her power into the memory with all her might. The memory shuddered and froze. Loki froze halfway through his speech. Hela walked up to Odin.

She studied Odin’s face and noted that it had aged significantly since she last saw it. Odin looked tired, worn down. Hela circled him. “Abandoned? Was it so father.”, Hela said coming back to face Odin again. “Hmm...so Laufey left his son. His FIRSTBORN son to die in the Temple. Are you talking of the same Temple that the Jotunns consider sacred. The one where they bring their children on the third day after their birth so that a name might be given to the child. Is that the temple you speak of? Is that temple not in the middle of Utgard, the capital of Jotunheim? So, Laufey left his child to die in the sacred temple, in the middle of Utgard, the capital city of Jotunheim”, Hela looked at Odin with a fake questioning gaze, “Hmm….why not leave him outside the city? Better yet, why not kill him outright? Unlike the Aesir, the Jotunns do not pretend to be kind people. There have been instances where children have been cast out from the community and killed”, Hela shook her head disappointed. Even when Odin claimed to speak the truth, all that came out were more lies.

 _‘But what did I expect? It is Odin after all’_ Hela looked at Loki again. His face was distraught, his eyes pained. Hela walked up to him. “Come cousin, let us leave this place. There is no truth to be found here, only lies”, Hela placed a hand on Loki’s heart. _‘We are not so different. Loki and I. We were both betrayed by the man who claimed to love us’_

She’d been wrong. Vidar had found Loki when he was examining an anomaly in Helheim’s power, he’d been unconscious, seemingly unknowingly drawing Helheim’s power. When Laufey, she and Gro examined him, they thought Loki had not realized he was dead and unconsciously drawn more power than he could handle and trapped himself inside his own mind reliving the circumstances of his death. But now Hela realized that he knew he was dead. He had created a bubble as most souls on Helheim do. But Loki’s bubble was inside his own mind. ‘ _Because his own thoughts torment him. So he created a bubble where he relives pleasant memories. Like the library’_ But then Loki let go. Let himself be lulled by his false surroundings until he forgot that they were false. And as he drew power from Helheim, the illusion strengthened. Then when Hela came upon him in the library, she accidentally triggered a bad memory. As Loki had let go, he couldn’t control the shift from good to bad. Couldn’t even remember how old he was.

Hela looked around her. The walls were beginning to waver again. She couldn’t keep this memory frozen for much longer. And the next memory might be more painful. She placed her other hand on Loki’s forehead. Hela cast her mind, scaling the walls of Loki’s mindscape. She looked for that voice again. The one that had led her past Loki’s shields. 

**“Please Loki, you are a much better reader than me. Please read it out for me.”** There! Hela clutched the voice, then pulled Loki’s mind out from the caricature frozen in front of her. Loki’s consciousness realized something was wrong and started to claw at Hela’s mind. But Hela was older and more powerful, she thrust Loki’s consciousness towards the voice. Loki’s consciousness latched on to the voice. Like a moth to flame. Around them the walls crumbled. Loki’s consciousness followed the voice and Hela followed them both...

TBC...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That line Laufey says to Thor in Thor 1 'Your father is a murderer and a thief' made me think 'What if Odin lied about Loki being abandoned?' I mean we are talking about a guy who erased his firstborn completely from history. Also Jotunheim and Asgard were at war. People were killed on both sides. So whose murder is Laufey speaking of?  
> Also we don't have enough of child! Loki in the MCU  
> Next chapter...Loki's POV. I'm so excited (and nervous)


	9. Mindscape (part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes, in fact most times reality is cruel. Sometimes we all wish we could go back to the good old days. The days when we were confident that we are loved. The days when we were blissfully unaware of how cold the world truly is  
>  _“You can’t cling to the past because no matter how tightly you hold on. It’s already gone.” – Ted Mosby_  
>  When Loki died, he was cast to Helheim. That was cruel. The reality that he was stuck in this cursed realm while his mother and brother were destined for Vahalla was cruel. And Loki had borne enough cruelty for one lifetime. So, he decided to make his own reality. A reality where he was once again loved. But no dream can last forever. Reality may be cruel but it was real and what is real cannot be denied forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first half of this chapter covers the events of Hela finding Loki and the scene in Odin's vault from Loki's perspective. The second half picks up where we left off in the previous chapter.

Loki (POV) 

Loki was reading a book, hidden behind the aisle in the royal library of Asgard. He was looking at a spell on shape transformation. It was all part of an elaborate plan to prank his brother. _‘Not that elaborate. It doesn’t take much to fool Thor after all’_ His older brother was far too trusting in Loki’s opinion. Something was niggling in the back of Loki’s mind, but he ignored it. He turned another page and read the instructions, mentally making notes. Suddenly he felt as if someone was watching him. Loki turned and saw a tall woman, peeking behind the shelf. She wore black clothes that were lined with green in places and had long black hair. 

Loki frowned. “Who are you?!!”, he demanded. The woman looked surprised. She seemed to mentally take a step back. She hunched her shoulders and tried to smile. “Hello. I am Hela. I was looking for a book. I didn’t mean to scare you”, the woman replied. Loki frowned. Something in the back of his mind told him that this woman did not belong here. “Who gave you permission to come here? This is the royal library. It is not open to outsiders.” Loki looked at the woman suspiciously. Her expression changed immediately to anger, she appeared to be thinking. Loki decided he’d had enough and quickly pushed past her towards the library’s door.

He didn’t get very far. The woman was suddenly standing in front of Loki blocking his exit. Loki stumbled. _‘How did she do that?!!’_ Was this woman some witch? Was she here to attack Loki? To attack Asgard? It occured to Loki that if she was an intruder, then the guards should have come looking for her by now. “Trying to kidnap me won’t get you anywhere! You’ll never be able to leave unnoticed!”, Loki said trying to stall the woma-Hela from doing whatever it was she was here to do. Hela appeared to be assessing him, then she spoke, “How are **_you_ ** in this library? It is as you say reserved for the royal family”.

 _‘Is she soft in the head? Does she not know_ **_who_ ** _I am?’_ But then Loki’s mood soured. ‘ _Or maybe she does know who I am and is mocking me’_ Loki felt anger course through his body. No one would dare pull something like this with Thor! He stood straighter. He wasn’t going to let this commoner insult him! “I am **Prince Loki** . King Odin and Queen Frigga’s second born son! I have every right to be here! It is you who’s intruding” Hela leaned down and studied his face. Her reaction confused Loki. _‘Maybe she really is soft in the head.’_ Loki contemplated. A look of recognition flashed across Hela’s face. She straightened back to her full height. She seemed to be lost in thought.

Loki was getting impatient. Something about Hela felt off and it was making him uncomfortable. “Well?!! Don’t just stand there like an idiot!! Explain yourself!!”, Loki crossed his arms and tried to look threatening. It didn’t seem to be working as Hela was now smiling at him as if she found Loki’s threats adorable. ADORABLE! Loki was not adorable! He would prove it! He summoned a dagger from his pocket dimension and hurled it towards Hela’s face. Hela simply raised a hand and stopped the dagger mid air.

Who was this woman?!! Loki frowned at Hela. She plucked the dagger from where it was frozen and twirled it in her hand. She smirked at Loki as if him trying to kill her was funny! But then a serious look overcame her features, “I apologize, Prince Loki. Let me introduce myself again. I am Hela, daughter of Angrboda. I am called the Goddess of Death” Loki’s head hurt. Angrboda? Goddess of Death? Nothing Hela said was making any sense.

 _‘Is she trying to trick me into something?’_ “Who’s Angrboda? I’ve never heard of him. And there is no Goddess of Death on Asgard” Loki said, trying to see if he could trap Hela in her own words. “Angrboda is my mother and you probably haven’t heard of her because she is..was jotunn…”, Hela’s expression became pained. Loki looked at her emphatically. _‘Losing your mother is painful.’_ The thought came unbidden to Loki. For a moment Loki wondered how he could know. His mother was well and alive.

But then what Hela said registered fully. _‘Jotunn? Those monsters. Hela’s mother was one of them!’_ Something nudged deep in Loki’s mind. _‘Jotunn’_ The word seemed to rattle in his brain. A feeling of fear creeped up his throat. “Jo...Jotunn?”, Loki was having difficulty breathing. That word. That word wouldn’t leave his mind. “Jotunn…” He clutched his head. **‘** **_Am I cursed?’ ‘Your birthright was to die as a child!_ ** **’ ‘** **_Because I am the monster parents tell their children about at night?’_ **The voices spoke in Loki’s head in rapid succession. “Jotunn….I...I…”, Loki started walking backwards trying to get away from the voices.

Hela reached a hand out as if to grip him, but Loki quickly moved out of her reach. The walls of the library started to waver and cracked. Images started appearing in front of Loki’s eyes. The scenes changing rapidly. ‘Loki standing in front of the Casket of Ancient Winters, his hands blue.’ ‘Thor bringing his hammer down, the Bifrost cracking beneath him.’ ‘Odin looking at him in disappointment as Loki clutched Gungir, hanging midair’ ‘Loki falling...falling and falling endlessly’ ‘A creature in black robes, eyes covered, peeling Loki’s skin like a potato’s.’ ‘A throne floating in space, a giant sitting on it, looking at Loki appraisingly’ ‘The creature in black robes handing Loki a scepter with a blue gem’ ‘Thor his hand on Loki’s neck begging him to come home’ ‘Thor on a high tower with Loki pleading him to stop the war being waged around them’ ‘Thor looking at Loki his eyes hard, and full of distrust’ The last one made Loki recoil.

 _‘No!’_ Loki couldn’t bear it. He couldn’t bear Thor looking at him like that. He tried to shake the image. Searching his memories. His head felt heavy. His thoughts were a mess. Wasn’t he eight? That was how old he’d been when he woke up this morning. Why would Thor not trust him? Was it Thor? It didn’t look like him. Loki tried to make sense of his surroundings. Another image flashed in his mind. ‘A barren land, with grey sky. Thor’s face appeared in front of Loki. He was crying.’ Loki didn’t like it. Didn’t like seeing the pain on Thor's face. _’But why? Why is Thor crying?’_ Pain lanced through Loki’s head. He cast his thoughts around looking for another image. The Casket of Ancient Winters appeared in front of Loki’s eyes again. Loki clutched at the image. It was better than watching Thor break down. The floor beneath Loki’s feet cracked. Hela made another attempt to reach him. But Loki clutched at the image of the Casket harder. The floor gave way completely and darkness overtook Loki’s vision.

When Loki opened his eyes, the Casket of Ancient Winters was in his hand. _‘What? How?’_ Loki felt confused. It felt as though he’d been somewhere else a moment ago. Loki looked at his hands. They were blue. Why were they blue? _‘What is happening?!!’_ Loki closed his eyes. Why was he here again? An image flashed across his mind. ‘A jotunn gripping his arm, the vambrace cracking and his arm turning blue’ _‘Ah! Yes!’_ Loki remembered. The excursion to Jotunheim. Thor being banished. Yes! he’d come here to see why his arm had turned blue instead of freezing at the frost giant’s touch. Loki frowned. He felt as if he should be more panicked about this. Loki’s sixth sense flared. Someone was standing behind him, he could feel it. But before Loki could confirm his suspicions. A voice echoed from behind. **“Stop!!”**

Something nudged Loki’s mind. His body moved of its own accord, turning to face the voice, casket still in his hands. **“Am I cursed?”** The words came out on their own without his bidding. Loki felt like he was floating. It felt like this had happened before. **“No. Put the Casket down.”** , Odin replied. **“What am I?”** Loki asked, now completely lost, in a haze. **“You're my son.”** , Odin replied. Those words felt like a lie. Loki tried to control his body but it felt like trying to hold water. **“What more than that?”** , the words came out as Loki struggled. Odin didn't answer. He looked suddenly weary, burdened. Emotions started to creep around Loki’s mind. Confusion, anger, then stark clarity. **“The Casket wasn't the only thing you took from Jotunheim that day, was it?”** , Loki’s mouth formed the words. Horror began mixing with the other emotions. A tiny voice pricked inside Loki’s head. _‘Stop, don’t walk down this road again’_ Something was wrong about this but before Loki could wonder what it was Odin spoke, **“No. In the aftermath of the battle, I went into the Temple, and I found a baby. Small for a giant's offspring -- abandoned, suffering, left to die. Laufey's son.”** The words pierced Loki’s soul. _‘No! No! This can’t be true! This isn’t real! This isn’t real!’_

**“Laufey's son...Why? You were knee-deep in Jotun blood. Why would you take me?”** , the words started flowing out of Loki’s mouth. The tiny voice nudged him again. _‘Stop! Stop!’_ But Loki was powerless. Then suddenly the walls of the vault shuddered. Time seemed to stop. Loki’s entire body froze. Something was here, with Loki and Odin in the vault. _‘But what’_ Loki tried to reach out with his telepathy. Trying to pinpoint the unknown presence. But he couldn’t seem to cast his consciousness out. Whatever it was, it was powerful for Odin too seemed trapped. Loki stopped, retracted his telepathy and this time tried to see with his mind’s eye. The air between Odin and him wavered. A ghostly figure seemed to walk up to Odin. _‘Not something..._ ** _someone’_** Loki realized. The figure, which Loki determined, seemed like a woman was circling Odin. It now stood in front of Odin. Loki mentally squinted trying to get a better impression of the woman. The walls of the vault wavered again. 

The woman was now walking towards him saying something. Loki tried to make out the words but couldn’t. She stood in front of Loki and placed a hand on his heart. She stilled and her figure wavered again. The woman placed her other hand on Loki’s forehead. A sharp pain started there. Loki could feel his consciousness being pulled from his body. _‘No!’_ Loki tried to resist. Throwing his power at the woman, trying to shake her grip from his mind. But the woman, whoever she was, proved too strong. Loki felt himself leave his body. Then suddenly he heard a voice. **“Please Loki, you are a much better reader than me. Please read it out for me.”** _‘Thor?’_ Loki drifted towards Thor. The walls of the vault cracked. Loki felt a sharp push from behind and felt his consciousness follow Thor’s voice. Loki let himself be carried away…

**“.....read it out for me.”** Loki blinked. He was in his room, sitting at his desk, Thor was standing in front of him with a thick scroll held out towards him.  _ ‘Where? How?’  _ Loki felt a sense of deja vu. He blinked again looking at the scroll. Loki felt as if he’d been somewhere else a moment ago. The feeling was immediately followed by a strong sense of deja vu again.  _ ‘Something is wrong’ _ Loki closed his eyes and felt his surroundings with his power. As he cast his mind outward, he felt a presence. Loki opened his eyes and looked around his room. There was no one here but him and Thor. Thor who was being eerily silent, Loki realized. Loki looked at Thor. He was frozen, his expression blank as if he was a statue. Loki immediately stood up alarmed.

“Thor!” Loki exclaimed, gripping Thor’s shoulders, shaking him. “Oh, he can’t hear you, dear”, a voice said. Loki looked around again. He could see no one. Who had spoken? “Ugh! Little you was better at this! At least he recognized his subconscious’ warnings”, exclaimed the voice which Loki now realized belonged to a woman. Loki frowned. His subconscious’ warnings? How could his subconscious warn him? To be able to sense the subconscious so keenly Loki would have to be in the mindscape. Last he recalled...Loki’s frown deepened. What had Loki been doing last? Why couldn’t he recall?

Loki closed his eyes again, searching his memory, trying to retrace his steps, trying to recall what he had been doing.  **“What am I?”** The memory suddenly flooded his mind. He’d been in the vault with his father. Loki gulped. No...not his father. Odin was not his father and Loki was….he was…..he was…...A sharp pain in his head jolted Loki. “Stop it! We just escaped that awful memory! Focus! Focus Loki, you  **know** where you. You  **know** what you were doing. You  **know!** You’ve just buried it in your subconscious. Chosen to ignore it. Stop! stop ignoring!”, the woman’s voice seemed to echo all around.  _ ‘Oh! I  _ **_am_ ** _ in the mindscape’ _

Loki bit his lip. Something nudged in the back of his mind. “Yes! That’s it! Focus! Don’t let it go!” the woman encouraged. Loki wanted to ignore it. But the woman’s voice was laced with power. Power that felt old and unlike anything Loki had felt before. Loki focused on the small nudge in the back of his mind. It was a memory, he realized. A memory that Loki had chosen to forget. “It’s ok Loki. I’m right here. You are not alone.”, the woman’s voice was gentle now. “I know it's not easy. Sometimes the truth is so bitter that we think we'd be happier living in a lie. But a lie is a lie Loki. It can bring you joy only for a little while. You have to face the truth someday. There is no running from it. From what I’ve seen, you of all people know how devastating a lie can truly become.” 

Loki swallowed. His throat felt too dry and too full at the same time. Yes, Loki knew better than most people. He knew that you cannot hide the truth forever. The woman was right, a lie was a lie. It could bring Loki no joy. Loki steeled himself. He looked at Thor still frozen. A Thor who was just a caricature. A Thor that could never compare to the real one. He looked around his room. A room that belonged to a different Loki. A Loki that had been living a lie. After finding out about his true heritage, how much had Loki wished that he’d known the truth? How much had he resented Odin for letting him live a lie? And yet here Loki was repeating the same mistakes.

_ ‘No, no, this will not do’  _ It was time to face the truth, no matter how painful. Loki was dead. He was in Helheim. He’d built this world inside his own mind. A world where he could forever be happy reliving his happiest moments. But this world was a lie. All those moments were tinged with the grief that came later. They were tainted. Tainted with Odin’s lies. Loki gathered himself. He pushed his power into his surroundings tearing down the walls of this false world. He felt the woman’s presence leave the mindscape. But Loki didn’t stop, he kept tearing until the very foundations of the palace were gone. Then Loki closed his eyes and embraced the truth of his reality….

TBC...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Adult Loki couldn't see Hela because he's never seen her before and he was trapped in his memories which did not have Hela in them. Unlike child Loki who was simply drifting from one memory to the next. Also child Loki's memories are not that perfect (this is why the palace was so empty when Hela first arrived) so Hela was able to insert herself in them better than she was in adult Loki's memories


	10. Puente Antiguo (part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jane Foster was back where she had started. But she was not the same she had been before. The aether, visiting Asgard, fighting Malekith. She was still in a daze. Then there was Thor, once again in her life. Jane didn’t know what to make of it. Thor was so different now. So...quiet ….subdued …. depressed….  
>  _“There are some things in this world you rely on, like a sure bet. And when they let you down, shifting from where you've carefully placed them, it shakes your faith, right where you stand.” ― Sarah Dessen_  
>  Jane thought that she knew Thor. She wasn’t so naive as to think she knew everything about him. But she thought she had a pretty good read on his character. His morals. She could accept that maybe there were some things in Thor’s past that he was not proud of. But never in her wildest imagination had Jane expected just how dark those things would be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! Last week I took a tumble down the stairs and now I have a sprained ankle. Also being hopped up on pain meds slowed down the writing process. So here's the next chapter.  
> Also I read the entire Thor 1 script and not once...I repeat not once does Thor tell Jane why he was cast to Earth  
> I don't know if this qualifies. But this is a warning that this chapter contains ideas of racism and xenophobia.

Jane POV

Jane Foster looked at her computer, trying to make sense of the figures on the screen. She rubbed her eyes. She'd been awake for a while. _‘72 hours is more than a while’_ , a voice that sounded suspiciously like Darcy echoed in Jane’s mind. Jane huffed. Even when she wasn’t here it seems Darcy managed to be judgmental of Jane’s work habits. Jane shook her head and squinted at the computer again. She tried to focus on the numbers. But it was of no use. Jane couldn’t remember what they meant. Admitting defeat for now, Jane closed the window and shut her computer down. Whenever she was alone her work schedule was basically to work till her body shut down and she fell into a coma. _‘Well I’m not alone right now’_ Jane thought guiltily.

It was true. Theoretically Thor was staying with her again. But Jane might as well be alone for all the company he was now. This was not how she’d expected things to go when Thor had shown up at her doorstep 2 weeks ago, a bag on his shoulder, asking if the offer of an open house was still an option. Jane had thought maybe they might try dating again. Though if she was being honest, she wasn’t sure she wanted to date Thor. But Thor had only thanked her for her generosity, picked Darcy’s old room and then proceeded to disappear into it. Jane saw him at breakfast, lunch and dinner whenever she bothered with either. But that was it. Jane had no idea what else he did since she herself was usually holed up in her lab all day.

Still it was beginning to worry her. Subconsciously Jane knew why Thor seemed so off kilter. He’d just lost his mother and his brother in an attack that was mostly Jane’s fault. Thor had told her she wasn’t to blame. That Malekith might have found the Aether sooner if Jane hadn’t absorbed it. But Jane still felt that if she had not been searching for Thor like an idiot maybe Loki and Frigga might still be alive. After all, Frigga died protecting her. And Loki wouldn’t have ever even left the dungeons if not for the need to get Jane out of Asgard.

Jane sighed. She looked around her lab. Erik was back home in Norway. He was doing better than he’d been a few months ago. But his therapist suggested a break from work and Erik decided he might as well take the time to touch base and visit his family. Jane didn’t begrudge him. Truth be told Erik needed a break the last couple of years had been hard on him. Darcy was also back at Culver University. Her internship was over and she was now working to complete her thesis so she could graduate. Jane wasn’t sure what her plans were after graduation, but she was sure they didn’t include helping Jane around the lab. She had been working alone for months now, studying all the data collected during the Convergence.

A yawn interrupted Jane’s musings and she stretched feeling the aches and pains from sitting too long. She rubbed her eyes, the exhaustion catching up to her. _‘Better head home before I actually fall into a coma in my lab’_ She got up checked all the equipment in the lab to make sure everything was shut down properly and headed out closing and locking the door behind her. Puente Antiguo was a small town and at this late hour the streets were completely empty. Jane walked briskly towards her house. It was just two doors down from the lab and right now she was very grateful that she’d taken it despite the rent being a little high.

Jane opened the door and dropped her bag in the corner by the door. She hung up her jacket, removed her shoes and walked past the kitchen. Then she did a double take. Retreating back she poked her head in the kitchen door. Thor was sitting at the kitchen counter,back to her, holding a mug of coffee in both hands, staring at it intently. Jane’s eyebrows climbed in surprise. She looked at her watch. It was 3 o’ clock in the morning. Jane thought Thor might be asleep. She frowned. Was Thor usually awake at this hour? Jane tended to be a bit absent minded, but she was sure she’d have noticed if Thor hadn’t been sleeping at night. Jane wondered if she should just leave Thor to it. But...Thor wasn’t moving, sitting still like a statue. He hadn’t noticed Jane yet. Come to think of it Thor should have noticed the minute she walked in the front door. His senses were keener than any normal human after all.

Jane stepped in the kitchen quietly. “Thor? Hey…” Thor didn’t respond. Jane walked over to him and put a hand on his shoulder, shaking him gently. “Thor? Hey…” Thor jumped a little and turned around his eyes on high alert, then calmed down when he saw it was Jane. “Oh! Hello Jane. When did you get home?”, Thor asked, still looking a little lost. Jane bit her lip. This was exactly what had been worrying her. Thor seemed lost most of the time. Quiet. So far from the animated man he’d been when she first met him. “Uh...I just got back from the lab. I thought you would be sleeping….” Thor shrunk down in his seat, clutching the mug tighter in his hands. “I...uh….I usually am not able to sleep these days.” Now Jane was really surprised. How had she not noticed it? Thor caught the expression on her face and looked sheepish. “You are usually at the lab or sleeping upstairs…and sometimes I have bad dreams so I come down here.” It was Jane’s turn to be sheepish _‘I am a terrible friend aren’t I?’_ She should have noticed sooner.

“That’s ok. Um...so do you want to talk about it?”Jane figured the least she could do was lend an ear if Thor wanted to talk. Thor straightened and squared his shoulders as if he was preparing for a fight. “No! No! it's fine. They’re just dreams. I am being childish….”, He made to get up, “It's nothing really...I should...I’ll go to my room now. You are tired. I don’t want to bother you over something so trivial” Thor stood up and tried to shuffle past her. Jane gripped his arm and looked up at his face with a frown. She wasn’t sure if it was growing up as royalty, Asgard’s obvious patriarchal society or just Thor’s upbringing in general, but Thor often tended to behave as if the slightest sign of vulnerability might make Jane toss him out. _‘Well that is ridiculous and it won’t do’_

Especially when it was obvious that Thor needed to talk to someone. He needed to speak his thoughts out loud instead of letting them fester. Mind made up, Jane let go of Thor and took a step back. She had to handle this carefully. She did not want her empathy to be mistaken for pity. That would only make things worse. “I used to have them too you know”, she said nonchalantly, “Bad dreams. After my father died in a car accident. I used to dream about it every night” Thor was looking at her curiously now. “My mom used to make hot chocolate for me and we would sit in the kitchen and talk about dad. All the happy memories. It helped….”, Jane looked up at Thor from under her eyelashes. 

Thor’s brow furrowed in thought, “I did not know that.” Jane shrugged. “How could you? I never told you.” She took a step forward and tried to catch Thor’s gaze, “What I mean is...it's ok. Here on Earth I mean. We humans don’t get over death so easily. We mourn, we cry, we rage and sometimes we don’t get over it at all. It's ok. It’s normal. It's ok to not be ok Thor” Thor now had a contemplative look on his face. He was thinking. Jane pressed on, “And you can’t control your dreams. So what if they’re not all good? That’s ok too. I just...if you want to talk about them or about anything else...I’m...I’m here for you. I’ll listen.”

Thor was looking at her now, biting his lip “You’ll listen?” He sounded as if he couldn’t believe it. Jane wanted to go back up to Asgard and punch the person who’d convinced Thor he couldn’t express himself. She put her hand on Thor’s shoulder, “Of course I’ll listen. You are my friend. It’s the least I could do.” Jane sidestepped Thor and headed for the kitchen stove, opening cupboards looking for the cocoa. “I’m not as good as my mom but how about I make us some hot chocolate and then we can sit on the sofa in the living room and talk.” Jane said, putting a pan on the stove and pouring in the milk. Thor blinked at her, then nodded and shuffled out the kitchen. Jane sighed. She stirred the cocoa and got out two fresh mugs, putting the mug with Thor’s coffee in the sink. She poured the hot chocolate, put the mugs in a tray and headed for the living room.

Thor was sitting on the sofa, twiddling with his fingers. Jane put the tray on the center table, picking up her mug and handing the other to Thor. He looked at her gratefully and held the mug in both hands. “So…” Jane trailed off not sure what to say. Thor took a careful sip of the hot chocolate and screwed his face up in confusion. Jane couldn’t help but laugh at his expression, “Don’t you have chocolate on Asgard?” Thor looked at her with a slight smile on his face and shook his head. “No..not really” Thor sighed and put his mug back on the table. He ran a hand through his hair and rubbed his face. As he did the ring on Thor’s middle finger caught her eye. She had wanted to ask about it, but it kept slipping from her mind.

“They’re not exactly what everyone would call a bad dream..”, Thor ventured. Jane looked at him encouragingly. “I...they’re more memories. Of before. Um...before all this you know” “Before Malekith’s attack?” , Jane asked gently. Thor laughed bitterly, “No….no….from much further back. When I was a child. I keep having dreams of my childhood” Thor frowned in thought. Jane opened her mouth to ask why the dreams bothered him, but Thor barreled on.

“We were all so happy back then. Me, mother, Loki and father. Loki was such a happy child. He was always smiling. He loved mother’s garden and books and pranking me and magic. He also loved magic. He was very good at it you know. Surpassed all his tutors quickly until no one but mother could keep up. We would play in her garden all day. But then I had to start my lessons. I refused at first. I didn’t want to leave Loki behind. I begged mother and father to let him come with me but they refused. Then I made friends, Fandral and Sif. They were both my age. And suddenly all my time was spent in my lessons, and then roaming the castle with Fandral and Sif and I tried to include Loki but Fandral and Sif didn't like him much. And I just brushed it off as trivial. Something that would change over time. And I’m starting to wonder if that’s where it started. The wedge between us.", Thor frowned

Jane didn't think Thor was talking about his dreams anymore, but didn't want to interrupt. "Mother always told me to put Loki first. That he was my brother and he should be respected too. But Odin always said that it was normal as Loki's interests lay elsewhere. He pushed me towards the warriors, the soldiers. By the time I was thirteen I was already good enough to beat most of my opponents and yet Loki hadn't even started training. When he did start our trainer often compared us. But that wasn't fair. I had been training for longer and of course I was better. Our tutors liked Loki though. He was good at history and arts and languages. And then mother insisted he start training in seidr. The magic of Asgard. And that was where Loki really shined", Thor smiled wistfully but then a sadness overcame his features.

"The warriors I trained with mocked Loki's magic and I...I never stopped them. Never defended Loki. And...and they all appreciated me so much. Looked up to me. I was able to best everyone in the training ring. And I let it get to me. I started thinking I was some great warrior. But when I would spar with Loki he always beat me. My strength was rendered useless in front of his magic. And I hated it. Sif said it was cheating. Loki using his magic. In truth, this kind of training was good for me. I needed to learn not to rely on my strength alone. Training with Loki gave me a chance to use tactics. But I was young and foolish. Seeing my flaws was hard, but putting the blame on Loki was easy. So I mocked it too. Started calling his magic a trick. A coward's trick. And….and…" Thor put his head in his hands and his shoulders shook as he cried.

Jane was surprised. She realised that after Loki's attack on New York, she'd begun thinking of him as a bad person. But no one is born bad are they? And hearing Thor speak about him...she wondered…what changed? _'It kind of sounds like Loki was the odd one out'_ Jane winced. As a woman with above average intelligence, school had been a difficult time for her. It wasn't easy to try and fit in with the other kids. Still that changed when she went to college. _'Does Asgard have colleges?'_ She put her mug back on the table and put a hand on Thor's shoulder again. "You were a kid, Thor. Kids do that kind thing here too. But I'm sure that once you were older it changed…." Jane trailed off as Thor started laughing

"Changed..Ha! changed. Yes it changed…", Thor said in a bitter tone. Jane had a sinking feeling she wasn't going to like where this was going "It certainly changed. You know when it changed Jane? When I finally realized how cruel I'd been? It changed **after** my brother tried to kill himself. Because of course, I'm the slow one you know." Thor stood up spreading his arms, "Ask anyone. Loki was the smart one. I'm the idiot. An idiot who doesn't understand the value of something until it is gone. You remember don't you? How I stubbornly refused to accept I was cast out until I tried to lift Mjolnir but couldn't. You remember that?" Thor looked at her with a questioning gaze

Jane didn't know what to say. She didn’t know how to tackle all this self hatred coming from Thor. And Loki had tried to kill himself? When? How? She was so confused. She wanted to support Thor but she realized that she knew only half the story and any comfort she could offer would be woefully inadequate if she did not know everything. No she needed the full story before she could decide what to say. _‘And maybe talking about it might help put some things into perspective for Thor as well’_ Thor seemed to blame himself completely for Loki's downfall. But that could not be true. “You know I never did ask...Why were you cast out of Asgard?” Jane was really curious now. It seemed that Loki went completely off the rails after Thor was cast to Earth

Thor seemed to wilt. He sat down on the couch heavily. He wouldn’t look up. “You might not like me if I tell you.” He sounded resigned. It was that horrible acceptance again. The one where Thor accepted that if he ever freely expressed his faults, he would be ridiculed. Jane shifted a little closer and tried to make Thor look at her. “Hey...come on...look at me….” Thor hesitantly looked at her. Jane put on her most serious expression. “I promised I would listen. I meant it. Whatever it is Thor. Whatever you did or did not do. I promise I will **listen**. No judgement.”

Thor bit his lip and searched her face. Jane let the honesty of her words reflect in her expression. Thor nodded mostly to himself, then sat straighter again. “Do you remember when I told you about the nine realms?”, he looked at Jane expectantly. Jane nodded, “Yeah...I remember. You said our world is one of the Nine Realms of the Cosmos, linked to each other by the branches of Yggdrasil, the World’s Tree.” “Yes and do you remember names of the realms I told you of?” Jane concentrated searching her memory. “You said...Earth was called Midgard. And then there was Vanaheim, Jo...Jotunheim and that where you came from was where the gods lived, Asgard.” Jane wondered where Thor was going with this.

“Yes, and the realm of the dark elves is called Svartalfheim.” ‘ _I don’t think I’m forgetting that one any time soon’_ Jane thought. But then concentrated again when she realized Thor was still speaking. “There is also the realm of the light elves called Alfheim. And Nidavellir the realm of the dwarves…then there is Helheim the realm of the dead. There is also Muspelheim, a realm of fire” Jane was fascinated. She always forgot that Thor was...well Thor. He was older than her by who knows how many hundred years and he knew so much about the universe. Had traveled it since before Jane was even born.

“Asgard rules over all the realms. It is our duty to protect them from threats. We have good relations with most of the realms. But there was a time there was war within the realms. All the different rulers fought amongst each other. Asgard built its army up under the guidance of my grandfather Bor and was victorious in most of these wars. As you now know my grandfather defeated the dark elves and Svartalfheim was left deserted. Then he died and Odin succeeded him. Odin did not want the wars to continue. He sought to bring peace to the realms. He married my mother Frigga of Vanheim and made her siblings Freyr and Freya King and Queen over Alfheim and Vanaheim respectively. He forged trade agreements with the dwarves, promising them fair trade and since then our weapons are all crafted by them.” Jane shifted sitting cross legged on the couch facing Thor completely immersed in the story Thor was weaving.

“He defeated Surtur the great fire demon and Muspelheim was also brought into the fold. Helheim is the realm of the dead and none can rule it, so Odin left it alone. Then he set his eyes on Jotunheim. It is a realm of ice and beings called frost giants live in it. He tried to forge peace with them, but Jotunheim resisted. Its King Laufey, came to Midgard and brought with him a deadly weapon, the Casket of Ancient Winters. It was capable of transforming the weather and turning any land into the same frozen landscape of Jotunheim. He intended to take control of Midgard as it is the center of Yggdrasil. Odin had no choice but to fight. With great difficulty he managed to defeat Laufey and push the Jotunns back to Jotunheim away from Midgard. He even lost his eye in the process. He brought the Casket of Ancient Winters with him to Asgard and stored it in the vault beneath the castle where no one may misuse it again. After losing the Casket Laufey surrendered and accepted Asgard’s rule.”

Thor ran a hand through his and cleared his throat, “Jotunheim was defeated and brought into the fold but the resulting peace was always fragile. Our people do not have a very good...um...opinion of the Jotunns and things were always tense with them.” Thor wringed his hands restlessly and Jane frowned at the gesture. “Uh...the day I was cast out...I….uh….I was to be crowned King. The ceremony was conducted in the throne room and everything was going well. Odin was giving a final speech before the crown was passed to me, when the alarms in the vault went off. Me and Odin rushed to the vault and saw two dead guards along with two intruders, also dead. They were badly burned, a result of getting too close, activating the Destroyer. They had been trying to steal the Casket. They were Jotunn.” Jane’s eyebrows climbed in surprise.

Thor licked his lips and continued, “I...I was so angry. I felt insulted. It was the biggest day of my life and it was ruined by a bunch of thieves. I couldn’t believe that the Jotunn would make such an attempt. That they would dare enter the castle of the King and attempt robbery right under his nose. I...I wanted to go to Jotunheim. To demand answers for this heresy. To teach them a lesson so that no other would make such an attempt again. But Odin did not want to disturb an already fragile peace over the act of a few people. He said we would seal the breach in our defenses. That those who had done this had already paid for it with their lives. There was no need to take the matter any further. And I….I was so angry, I couldn’t believe Odin chose to do nothing.”

Jane didn’t think she’d ever think this but Odin was right. “I went back upstairs and saw the feast that had been laid out in celebration of my crowning. A feast that would no longer be held and I...I completely lost my temper.”, Thor put his head in his hands. “I completely lost it Jane. I upturned the table and threw all the food away” Now Jane was really surprised. In all her interactions with Thor he was always gentle with her. She never thought he’d have anger management problems. “My friends tried to cheer me, but all I could think of was how the Jotunns had ruined my day of triumph. Loki said that I was right. That if the Jotunn could penetrate the defenses once, they could do it again. That next time they might bring an army. But he too did not want to go against Odin’s command. And I thought ‘why not?’. I was a prince. A prince that had almost been crowned King. Why shouldn’t I have the freedom to act as I want. To handle this as I perceived was best. I decided that it didn’t matter what Odin had commanded. I decided that I would march to Jotunheim myself and demand that Laufey answer my question”

Jane winced. That was...really bad. Thor caught her expression and smiled ruefully “I know right? So much arrogance. I did not stop for one second to think where it would lead.” Jane opened her mouth to...she didn’t know what honestly but Thor shook his head to silence her “No..please let me finish.” Jane closed her mouth and nodded reluctantly. Thor took a deep breath and let it out.

“My friends tried to convince me not to go, but I had made up my mind and would not listen. They did not want me to go alone and decided to come with me. I dragged Loki along too. We all made preparations and headed for the Bifrost. When we reached there, I expected Heimdall to stop us. But instead he said that he too wanted to know how the Jotunn had managed to sneak in and he agreed to grant us passage to Jotunheim. He warned us that he would not open the Bifrost again if he felt that Asgard’s safety would be threatened. I told him his concern was unnecessary and we all left.”

“We landed on Jotunheim. And...you should see it Jane. It's completely haunted. The entire realm is a ruin. It is a massive flattened ring of jagged ice, slowly breaking apart. The realm's icy surface cracks and melts as far as the eye can see. The main city was completely in shambles. A massive ruin. The entire realm was shrouded in darkness” Jane idly wondered what caused Jotunheim to become like this. “Loki wanted to survey the land before moving any further, but I insisted that we knew all we needed to and marched on. At first we could not see any one. Neither Jotunn nor animal. The only sound was of the wind. When we reached the city plaza we realised that the Jotunn had been watching us the entire time. You see the Jotunn are one with their realm. Their skin is blue and they have red eyes that can see very well in the dark. They can control ice and within their own realm it is easy for them to blend into the landscape and ambush any enemy that dare enter it.” Jane tried to imagine blue skinned, red eyed people and wondered how they controlled ice. “We had foolishly marched into their territory and were completely surrounded.”

“A sentry asked us what we wanted. And I said I would only speak to the King. Laufey was sitting on a balcony in one of the buildings. He stood up and told me he was the King. I tried to tell him my name but he said he already knew who I was and demanded why I was intruding in his home. I said I came to demand answers for how his people managed to get into Asgard. In response he said that the house of Odin was full of traitors. I became very angry when I heard this. I warned Laufey not to insult Odin. He said that Odin was a murder and theif. That the Casket was their right and Odin had stolen it leaving their realm in ruin.” Jane furrowed her brow in thought. _‘I wonder which of them is speaking the truth Odin or Laufey’_ A story always has two sides and Jane wondered what had actually caused the war with Jotunheim. 

“I defended Odin saying that he took the Casket only to stop Laufey from using it to make war against the other realms. Laufey mocked me and said all he saw in front of him was a boy trying to prove himself a man. I almost attacked him then but Loki stopped me. He begged me to think. Told me that we were outnumbered. That we should retreat. I...I told him he should remember his place”, Thor looked guilty again, but continued speaking. “Laufey told me to take Loki’s advice and leave while he still allowed it. My friends also looked at me pleadingly. Loki hastily told Laufey that we accepted his offer. With everyone against me, I agreed to leave too. I turned around and started walking back to the Bifrost sight. But then...then...one of the Jotunn...he...uh….he called me a little princess and told me to run back home. And I….I retaliated….uh...by...uh...by hitting him in the face with Mjolnir. And then...I...uh….I challenged them to fight” Thor hung his head in shame. Jane blinked, sure she had misheard the last bit.

“I hit another Jotunn nearby….and….the Jotunn started attacking us all. Fandral, Loki, Sif, Volstagg and Hogun were struggling to keep up. But I paid them no mind. I…...I…..was enjoying the fight. It...It felt like confirmation of my belief that the Jotunn deserved to be put down.” Jane tried to control the growing horror in the pit of her stomach but it was of no use. “I killed all in my path. My friends and Loki continued to struggle trying to keep up with the Jotunn and Fandral was injured. A Jotunn grabbed Volstagg and they realised that the Jotunn touch is so cold that it freezes anything they touch. Then Laufey summoned an ice beast from within one of the walls of the city. The ice cracked and Loki and the others started running to the Bifrost sight. The Jotunn blew out an icy fog and it consumed them. The ice also started to crack and they were trapped. I flew over to them. Loki dissipated the mist with his magic and we saw that by now hundreds of Jotunn had surrounded us. Even I could not fight this many.”

“Then the Bifrost opened and Odin came through astride on Slepnir, Gungir in hand, clad in his battle armour. I thought he’d come to fight with us. That together we would remove the Jotunn threat once and for all. But he implored Laufey to let us go. He told him that I was just a boy and to treat my actions as such. But Laufey was too angry by then. He claimed that the time for peace was over. He tried to attack Odin but Odin knocked him back with Gungir. The Jotunn started fleeing and I laughed triumphantly thinking Odin was at last on my side. But he did not chase after the Jotunn. Instead he opened the Bifrost and took us all back. I was furious once again. I demanded that we go back and finish the Jotunn off. I was so blinded I didn't even realise that Fandral was still injured and bleeding. I called Odin an old fool. Said he was too afraid to act. Odin called me a vain, greedy cruel boy. He said that he saw now that I was not ready to be King. Loki tried to intervene but Odin silenced him with a look. Then he stripped my powers and cast me here, to Midgard as punishment. And well….uh...you know the rest.” Thor stopped speaking and looked down at his feet.

Jane was...Jane was stunned. She tried to sort her thoughts out. Make a clear timeline of the events Thor had told her about. A list to help her keep track of things:

1\. Asgard’s relations with Jotunheim were tense. 

2\. Thor’s coronation had been stopped because of an intrusion by few people of Jotunheim where they tried to steal the Casket of Ancient Winters from the palace vault

3\. Thor had wanted to go over to said realm and **demand** answers. Demand. Not ask, demand. 

4\. Odin had refused because Jane assumed he wanted to approach it all a little more diplomatically. 

But Thor wanted to start a war….because he thought the Jotunn needed to be put down...Jane was confused. In all the retelling she noticed that the Thor in the story tended to talk of the people of Jotunheim as if they were violent and always up to no good. That was….odd. Jane shook her head and continued the list

5\. Thor despite Odin’s strict orders decided to go to Jotunheim anyway and dragged his brother and friends along with him

Here, Jane frowned again. Surely one of Thor’s friends or Loki could have approached Odin and told him of Thor’s plans. And Heimdall let them go. Wasn’t that treason. Since Heimdall technically served the king? Did he get punished for doing so? Jane was having a difficult time understanding how things worked in Asgard.

6\. Thor and co. landed in Jotunheim, where King Laufey told them to leave.He said that the house of Odin was full of traitors and also accused Odin of being a murderer and thief.The thief thing Jane understood. The Casket of Ancient Winters was of Jotunheim and Odin **had** taken it. But the murder thing nagged at her _‘Why? If they were at war then of course people died. Why call Odin a murderer?’_ That sounded….personal. Jane shelved that thought for later.

7\. Loki intervenes and convinces Thor to leave. But then...one of the Jotunn insulted Thor and...and instead of shaking it off like an adult...Thor punched him in the face….with his hammer….which was unbreakable. Jane consciously did not examine that thought and moved on. 

8\. As a result, the Jotunn responded by attacking Thor and co. Obviously taking Thor’s violent reaction as an act of war.

9\. Thor managed to hold his own, but Loki and the others struggled to keep up. Jane assumed that this was because Mjolnir was a unique weapon and gave Thor an advantage which the others did not have.

10\. One of Thor’s friends got injured and he and the others started to retreat. But Thor kept on fighting.

11\. To stop Thor presumably, Laufey released some kind of giant animal and the Jotunn somehow created a fog that made it impossible for the retreating people to keep moving. _‘That is so cool though! Being able to create fogs!’_

12 Loki used magic to clear the fog. _‘And that is also very cool! I wonder how his magic used to work’_ When the fog cleared Loki, Thor and co. realised they were surrounded by what Jane assumes was Jotunheim’s army or a unit of their army.

13\. Odin stepped in at the last moment and rescued them all. Thor and Odin had a huge argument, where Thor yet again insisted on wiping the Jotunn out.

14\. Odin realized Thor was not ready to take up the mantle of King. _‘Probably because all he wanted to do at that point was fight and kill those he thought insulted him’_

15\. Odin decided Thor needed to learn humility and took his powers and threw him to Earth, where Jane found him.

There were so many things about this that bothered Jane. She looked at Thor. He was still looking at the ground, his shoulders hunched. What she did not absolutely get was why Thor always assumed that the people of Jotunheim were up to no good. She understood that if you caught the people of a neighboring country trying to steal a powerful weapon from you then you would feel hostile towards them. But Thor kept speaking of how he wanted to wipe all the Jotunn out, teach them a lesson, declare war on them etc. And….Jane wondered why? Even if relations were tense, surely there must be some people of Jotunheim that were favorable towards Asgard and vice versa. Asgard had the Bifrost. Surely delegations came from Jotunheim at some point to renew the peace treaty. Surely Asgard had ambassadors from all realms including Jotunheim for Thor’s coronation. Why not approach them first? Why did it sound like all communication was cut off between the two realms?

And then there was the huge elephant. Thor had attacked and killed people on Jotunheim because someone had a smart mouth and tried to get a rise out of him. He had no control over his temper and seemed to think that going to war with an entire realm was child’s play. There was no other way to look at it. Laufey had given them freedom to leave. Thor could have ignored the guy who called him a princess and kept on walking. Instead he severely injured him...and Jane was sure that frost giant or not getting hit by Mjolnir in the face would cause serious injury….then proceeded to hit yet another Jotunn who Jane assumed hadn’t even done anything. Thor had drawn first blood. There was no way around it. Things would never have escalated if he’d just **walked away**. 

“Why?”, Jane needed to know. “Why Thor?” Thor looked at her in confusion. “Why didn’t you just walk away?” Thor looked down again and mumbled something. “What? Could you please repeat that?”, Jane leaned in. Thor looked up again “I said because I thought they deserved to be killed.” “Who deserved it? The Jotunn? Why?”, Jane was getting desperate now. In the back of her mind she knew why Thor thought like that. But she wanted him to say it. Shame overcame Thor’s face. He shook his head not wanting to say. Jane grabbed his shoulders and shook him. “No. You don’t get to run away from it Thor. You killed over it. You don’t get to brush it off. Come on. Why? Why did they deserve it?” 

Jane knew why. _‘Because he thought them beneath the Asgardians. Because he thought they were little more than animals. A savage race with blue skin and red eyes. Who would miss them if Thor erased them from the universe?’_ Jane let go of Thor and he fell back against the armrest of the couch. She got up and started pacing. No, this was not what Jane had expected. Temper issues she could handle. The need to prove yourself she could handle. Bad decisions she could understand. But this. This bias. This prejudice. Jane shook her head. No. She never expected Thor of all people to have been racist.

Jane took a deep breath. She had promised she wouldn't judge. She wanted to help Thor not push him away. She had to. Thor needed someone to accept him despite all his mistakes no matter how grave. She looked at her mug on the table. _‘Should have gone for the beer….’_

TBC….

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think that Thor and Asgardians in general are racist towards the Jotunn. And let's not forget Odin's Terrible Parenting TM Odin is prejudiced towards the Jotunn and he passed those ideas on to Thor and Loki. Which resulted in Thor being extremely biased towards Jotunheim and Loki of course had mental breakdown. It's a wonder how Odin hasn't been awarded for his A+ parenting yet *rolls eyes sarcastically* Don't know if racism is a concept on Asgard.(probably not) But for Jane Thor's behavior towards the Jotunn translates as racist and this is a label she didn't ever think she'd associate with Thor. And I wanted Thor to address his behavior, he needs to if he's to move on from it. No miraculously loving the Jotunn after having thought of them as monsters for hundreds of years. Changing ideologies takes time. So ...yeah that's it...¯\\_(ツ)_/¯  
> Next chapter...we are switching POV again. But we'll come back to Jane and Thor and this insanely long night and conversation don't worry.


	11. The Black Castle(part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki’s life had been uprooted the day he found out he wasn’t Odin’s son. From then, nothing had been right. Odin’s lies had destroyed Loki’s life. He’d thought that in death he might have respite from them. But it seems he underestimated his not-father. For even in death the skeletons in Odin’s closet chased Loki.  
>  _“Nothing is real with someone who is false” - Anonymous_  
>  As Loki hears Laufey’s story, he wonders if Odin has ever spoken the truth about anything. He lied to Loki. He hid the truth about his lineage. And now it seems he’s lied to Thor as well. It's a shame that Loki is here in Helheim. He would have liked to see Thor's face as he realized that his life was a lie too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again I claim no accuracy to Norse Mythology at all

Loki POV

Loki sat at the table in a huge dining hall in the Black Castle’s main building. To his right sat Hela, fingers steepled under her chin watching him with a small smile on her face. To his left sat King Laufey, looking at him unblinking, as if he thought Loki might disappear. Behind Laufey stood another frost giant. He was a head taller than Laufey. He had his arms crossed which made the muscles of his arm bulge and was looking at Loki suspiciously. Loki looked back at the table. Hela had food brought for him to eat. If one could call it food that is. Loki assumed the food on his plate was supposed to be a salad, but he couldn’t be sure. He did not recognize any of the plants.  _ ‘Do I even need food? Am I not dead? Do dead people eat?’ _

“Go on cousin, eat, you need to build up your strength. You lost a lot of energy in that little mindscape of yours.”, Hela spoke patronizingly. Loki didn’t think it was intentional but every time the woman spoke it felt like she found Loki amusing. It was beginning to get on Loki’s nerves. Then there was the fact that she kept calling Loki cousin. She also called Laufey uncle. And every time she did that Laufey looked at her fondly. That had been a surprise. But Hela’s appearance confused Loki. They both looked eerily similar. She had the same pale skin and black hair. She even wore the same colors as Loki. The similarities in their appearance was the only reason Loki hadn’t called Hela a liar when she said she was his cousin. Besides Loki realized that he knew next to nothing about his birth father or his birth family.

Loki remembered Hela’s voice from the mindscape. She was the one who’d encouraged Loki to wake up from the dream. When Loki had woken up, he found Hela kneeling by his side. Laufey and the other Jotunn had been standing behind her. Loki had jumped immediately and tried to escape. But an Aesir healer who had also been by his side had stopped him. She said her name was Gro. Gro had explained that Hela ruled over Helheim and that Loki had been found in a coma. Hela had Loki brought to her castle and since then they had all been attempting to wake him. Then Loki had realised that in his coma he’d reverted back to his Jotunn form. He had been horrified. He’d immediately shifted to his Aesir form. Hela had only raised one eyebrow but Laufey had seemed sad. Loki was still wary of him.

Then Hela had introduced herself as his cousin. Loki had been shocked. Hela had taken advantage of Loki’s shock and herded everyone here saying that Loki needed to eat. She’d been quick to dismiss Gro though. Shooing her off as soon as they reached the dining hall. Loki looked at his plate again. He didn’t feel hungry. He was confused. The last time he had seen Laufey, Loki had killed him. Yet here Laufey was looking at Loki as if he couldn’t believe his eyes that Loki sat in front of him. And why was Hela being so nice to him. She’d never met him before. If she and Laufey were truly related then surely Laufey had told her of all of Loki’s misdeeds. Nothing was making sense.

“Would you like to eat something else? I’m sure we can find some meat if that is what you prefer”, Laufey looked at Loki eagerly. Loki couldn’t take it anymore. He pushed his chair back and stood up, backing away to the door. The Jotunn behind Laufey shifted, angling himself towards Loki. Laufey had a sad expression on his face again. Hela just looked amused. “Why do  **you** care what I want?!” Loki screeched. Laufey’s expression became dismayed. Hela looked serious now, one eyebrow raised as she studied Loki. He ignored her and focused his attention to Laufey. 

Laufey was still looking sad. How dare he!!! How dare he look sad!! As if he hadn’t abandoned Loki!! Cast him out!! Left him to die!! Odin would never have found Loki if Laufey hadn’t abandoned him in the first place!!! And now...now he dared to pretend as if he cared!! Now when Loki was dead and cast to this cursed realm!! What good did Laufey’s care bring now!! Loki was panting. He belatedly realised that he had been speaking out loud and not inside his mind. Laufey looked heartbroken. Hela had both eyebrows raised now. She looked surprised at his outburst. He sneered at her. But she only smirked in return, unfazed by Loki’s behavior. 

Laufey opened his mouth to say something, but Hela beat him to it. “And who told you, you were abandoned, dear cousin?” She looked calm, waiting for Loki to respond. Loki frowned. “Odin told me he found me when he took the Casket from Jotunheim. He said he found me abandoned in the temple. Left to die because I was small for a Jotunn.”, Loki glared at Laufey as he said the last part. Laufey stood up quickly, chair clattering to the floor and banged his fists on the table, making the wood creak. “That liar! He lied! I did not abandon you! And you weren’t alone in the temple! I left you in the care of the high priestess!” Loki scoffed, “And why should I believe you? If you didn’t abandon me, then why not look for me all these years? Hm? To my knowledge all you did after the war was sulk that you had lost. I never heard any news of the Jotunn King looking for his lost son. And you left me with a priestess?! Why?!! Why not leave me with my mother?! Or some other family member?! I’ll tell you why! Because YOU ABANDONED ME!!” Loki was panting now. Hela had moved and was now standing between Loki and Laufey, looking at Loki with a worried expression. The other Jotunn had a hand on Laufey’s shoulder. Laufey had sagged, head bowed, shoulders hunched. 

Loki tried to take a deep breath, but the walls were closing in on him. He couldn’t breathe. He was suffocating. Belatedly he realised that he was shaking, tears streaming down his face. Hela moved towards him and he flinched, turning on his heels and running out of the dining room. Loki blindly looked for an exit, but he did not know the layout of the castle well enough. He turned a few corners and saw a massive set of doors. Loki pushed past them and came to halt at the sight in front of him.

Loki was standing on a walkway made of ice. He looked behind him, the door through which he had come had disappeared. He looked around. The walkway spiraled around a massive ice palace. It was built like a bridge. High above the ground. Loki walked to the edge and looked below. Beneath the walkway was a city. The buildings and houses were all made of ice. Seemingly having sprung from the ground itself. The palace and the city were surrounded by huge mountains covered in snow. A natural defense. Loki looked at the palace again. There were giant archways built in the palace. It had two domes and towers of ice surrounding it. The walkway was built such that it spiraled between the two domes and went over the archways. There were balconies built in the archway. There was something familiar about them, but Loki couldn’t put his finger on it.

“Utgard, the capital of Jotunheim” Loki looked back, it was Hela. She walked up to him and the air around her shimmered. Loki looked back at the palace.  _ ‘Its an illusion!’ _ Loki was capable of casting very good illusions but even he could not cast such a big illusion and maintain it for so long. Hela stood beside him looking at the palace’s image. “At least this is how I remember it” Loki bit his lip. The Jotunheim he and Thor had visited looked nothing like this. Suddenly it struck him why the archways looked familiar. He remembered seeing them. Though they were half broken then. Loki looked down at the city again. All his life he’d heard stories of how the Jotunn were a savage people, incapable of civilized behavior. And yet...this city, the palace….they could rival Asgard any day. Loki squinted at the palace. The archways had swirling patterns built into it. He looked down at the walkway he was standing on and realised each ice stone had a pattern on it. And each pattern was unique.

_ ‘It’s beautiful’ _ It was true the city was made entirely of ice. It looked cold, but it was beautiful in its own way. Like the moon to the sunny gold of Asgard’s architecture. “Do you know where the temple is? The one where Laufey left you?” Loki looked at Hela. He shook his head. “It's there inside the palace walls.” Hela pointed to the second dome. Loki’s eyebrows rose in surprise. When Odin told him he’d been abandoned in a temple, he always assumed it was somewhere on a frozen rock in the mountains of Jotunheim. But this...Loki didn’t know what to make of this. He shook his head again. “Why should I believe you?”, he whispered mostly asking himself.

Hela sighed. “Why not? You are willing to believe Odin. A man who stole you from your homeland then lied to you about it and filled your head with hatred towards your own people. Tell me Loki do you think Odin would have ever admitted the truth if you hadn’t found it yourself? What makes you think he told you the truth about how he found you when he was willing to let it remain a secret for the rest of your life? Don’t you want to hear the other side of the story? If Odin, a man who used you deserves to be heard then shouldn’t Laufey be given that same chance? You don’t have to believe him. But at least hear him out once. He is your blood Loki. You  **are** Jotunn. You can’t run from it forever. You have to accept it. You need to let go of the Asgardian notions. They will only bring you pain. You know in your heart not everything that was taught to you is true.” 

Hela waved and dispelled the illusion of Utgard. “You can seek the truth or you can live in the lies Asgard spun. It's your choice. But I warn you. Laufey has seen enough pain in his life. I won’t allow you to torment him in his death. If you cannot be reasonable then you may leave. No one will stop you. Helheim is big enough. You need not bother  **my** family with your hatred anymore.” Hela turned and walked back to the dining room.

Loki closed his eyes and sighed. Hela was right, Loki knew he couldn’t trust Odin to speak the truth. But the little boy that lived in Loki’s heart wanted to believe Odin. Wanted to believe that he was more than just another tool. But still what did he have to lose? Loki still remembered the day he’d been brought in front of Odin after being defeated on Midgard. ‘Loki Laufeyson’ that’s what Odin had called him. Loki’s heart had shattered. He had known then that he would not find any compassion from Odin. He’d turned to Queen Frigga then. His mother. But all she had said was to not make it worse. She’d stood by Odin as always. And...Thor...Thor hadn’t even shown up. Not even one of them bothered asking Loki how he survived the fall. They just assumed he wanted to rule Midgard. Never mind that Loki had tried to kill himself the last time Odin had seen him. Never mind that he had no reason to attack Midgard. If Loki was to attack a realm it would be Asgard. Odin was the one who had wronged him. What would conquering Midgard give him? But they didn’t want to know so Loki didn’t bother wasting his breath trying to correct them.

Frigga tried to comfort him in the dungeon. But if Loki was being honest, her belief that Odin was right in all he did hurt Loki. After Frigga’s death Thor had come to him for help. But he had been so cold towards Loki. Telling him that he did not believe Loki was worth saving anymore. Loki swallowed.  _ ‘Though he did weep when I lay dying on Svartalfheim’ _ Thor confused Loki. He claimed to hold no love for Loki and then wept over him as he died. Loki shook his head. Thor and his strange ways of expressing love were a matter for another time. The matter at hand was if Loki should listen to Laufey. Hear his side of the story.

_ ‘It can’t hurt to listen. I can always leave if I don’t like what I hear’ _ Besides Loki was dead. What was the worst Laufey’s tale could do? Loki’s life was over already. He was here for eternity. What better time than now? Loki had killed Laufey. He was the reason Laufey was here. And yet when he’d been found in a coma, Laufey and Hela had worked to wake him. Laufey need not have helped. Loki knew that if they had left him, he would have eventually become a mist. The energy of his soul would have been consumed by Helheim, until he was destroyed down to the very last atom. They had saved him. The least he could do in return was listen. Mind made up, Loki took a deep breath and squared his shoulders.  _ ‘Well then. Let’s see where this goes’ _

Loki made his way back to the dining room and lingered by the door. Laufey was sitting now head in his hands. Hela was sitting beside him, a hand on his shoulder speaking to him in a whisper. The other Jotunn wasn’t with them anymore. Loki presumed he’d gone back to doing whatever it was people did here. He cleared his throat. Laufey immediately looked up, surprised. Hela looked up too a faint expression of pride on her features. She seemed happy to see Loki. He ignored her and focused on Laufey. “I...I want to hear what you have to say…”, Loki hesitated. “I promise I won’t interrupt. I’ll….I’ll listen...if you are still willing to tell me that is….”, he trailed off looking at Laufey.

Laufey sat straighter in his chair. “Of course I’m willing. Come sit. It will be a long tale. There is much you do not know” Laufey gestured to the seat beside him. Loki walked around the table and chose the chair on the opposite side instead. If Laufey was bothered by it he did not show it. Hela got up and sat on the chair Laufey had been gesturing to. So that she was now sitting in the middle of Loki and Laufey. Laufey put his hands on the table and furrowed his brow, gathering his thoughts. 

“The first thing you must know is that Jotunheim and Asgard have had ties for a long time, since before I was born. My father Bergelmir descended from Ymir, the first Jotunn. He had a twin sister Bestla. When they were young, Asgard wasn’t as big as it is now. They had developed the Bifrost but other than that development was slow on Asgard. King Buri often traded with us as we were skilled in sedir. We used it to craft tools and weapons alike. In those days the Dwarves did not trade their weapons so Asgard turned to us. Then one day he came with a proposal. A way to unite our kingdoms. He proposed that we unite our kingdoms through marriage between his son Bor and my aunt Bestla.” Loki’s eyebrows rose in surprise. He had read of Bestla but he had no idea that she’d been Jotunn. Now that Loki thought about it there were no pictures of Bestla in the books. Only her name was written.

“At first my father was hesitant. He did not want to send his sister so far away from him. But Bestla convinced him that forging stronger ties with Asgard would benefit future generations. Together they could become a stronger, much more powerful kingdom. There was the matter of Asgard’s weather being unfavorable to the Jotunn for a long time. But my aunt was a very powerful witch. Through trial and error she found a way to transform her skin to the form of an Aesir. A knowledge that she passed to her brother, my father. A skill that became mixed in the royal blood of Jotunheim. Every royal born of Bergelmir or Bestla now possesses this ability.” As Laufey said this, his skin turned pale, the lines on his face disappeared and his eyes became green like Loki’s.

Loki was speechless. He blinked, studying Laufey’s Aesir form. Like this it was easy to believe that Laufey was his father. Laufey shifted back to his natural Jotunn form. “I do not use it often as it feels uncomfortable to be in this form for a long time. I also used to wield the Casket of Ancient Winters for long periods of time. We found that exposure to the Casket tends to suppress this ability. But back to the tale. Bestla’s Aesir form allowed her to remain in warm weather for longer periods of time. Buri married her and Bor on Asgard and she went to live there. All was well. My father married another Jotunn, Skadi and I was their firstborn. When I was two, news reached my father that Aunt Bestla was pregnant with her first child”

“She gave birth to a boy shortly after and he was named Odin. The boy had pale skin like the Aesir, but he had blue marks like the Jotunn and one of his eyes was also red like a Jotunn” Loki opened his mouth to protest that Odin did not have a red eye or any other Jotunn traits, but Laufey smirked, “I will remind you little frostling that Odin ‘lost’ one eye in the battle with Jotunheim. I cut it out myself. As for the marks. As I said all royals born of Bergelmir or Bestla could change their form. The form of Odin that you see is a changed form. He maintains it at all times. As Odin grew my aunt realised that he had inherited the same talent for sedir that she possessed. When the Aesir in Buri’s court got wind of this, they began mixing with the Jotunn even more. You see the Aesir did not possess much talent for sedir. It was one of the reasons for the slow development of Asgard. In contrast the Jotunn had an affinity for natural magic. Many of our children were born with the gift of controlling winds, plants and sensing the sedir of Yggdrasil around them. These children were often not as tall as the regular Jotunn. One could say they were ‘small’ for Jotunn ”, Laufey looked at Loki wistfully and Loki ducked his head, not sure what to say.

“The Aesir realised that by marrying the Jotunn the children born of the union would inherit these abilities as well. The common Jotunn could not stay on Asgard during their summers but in winters they would visit Asgard and many Aesir married the Jotunn, staying on Jotunheim for the summers and moving to Asgard during winters. Slowly, the Aesir children born started to exhibit gifts as well. Decades passed. My sister Angrboda was born. Buri died and Vili and Ve were also born. They did not have any physical Jotunn traits and inherited only some measure of my aunt’s power. Odin on the other hand had her power in spades. As a young man he had difficulty controlling his power. Bor sent Odin to Jotunheim to learn to control his sedir better. Me, Angrboda and Odin studied sedir together under Bjorn who was the high priest at the time. Odin learned quickly. But we soon found that a full blooded Jotunn mage was more powerful than the Jotunn whose blood was mixed with Aesir.”

“This disappointed Bor. At the same time, the dark elves got their hands on the Aether. They invaded Alfheim and made the light elves their slaves. Till then the realms had mostly been peaceful. This move shocked all. The then king of Alfheim- Aldon, managed to contact Bjorn through dreams and pleaded for help. My father and Bor joined forces. Asgard provided the foot soldiers and Jounheim gathered its mages and they used the Bifrost. Bjorn and the other mages were deposited in Alfheim to help free the light elves. Bor and his army landed on Svartalfheim to fight the dark elves. The Aether is a powerful weapon, Bor and most Aesir soldiers did not possess sedir and were not able to counterattack Malekith. When my aunt realised this, she herself stepped on the battlefield. Aunt Bestla fought Malekith, who had by now absorbed the Aether. Her power was great but, in the face of the Aether’s power even she was at a loss”

“Aunt Bestla realised that the Aether was sentient to some extent. It is an infinity stone. The stones are essential to the universe. They all serve a purpose. The stones themselves do not wish to destroy. For they were meant to create. Malekith had imposed his conscience on the Aether and his will was strong enough to overpower the little sentience that the stone possessed and twist it to his will. Aunt Bestla poured her own consciousness into the Aether to allow it to become free of Malekith’s will. This resulted in her death for the Aether consumed her consciousness to gain power over Malekith. Bor was able to successfully get the Aether away from Malekith. Without the Aether, the Aesir were able to defeat the dark elves with ease. Bor took the Aether with him to Asgard alongwith Bestla’s body.”

“But I thought Bor buried the Aether so no one could find it.”, Loki could not help but say. Laufey shook his head, “Not in the beginning. He took the Aether with him to Asgard and tried to use it to bring Bestla back to life. But her consciousness was completely burned out. Her very soul was gone. She could not be revived. My father asked for her body so that she may be buried as per Jotunheim’s customs. Bor reluctantly agreed. He then handed the Aether to Bjorn. Bjorn was the one who hid it. After my aunt’s death Bor was overcome with grief. He resented the dark elves. He began thinking that if they had never been allowed freedom then they would never have found the Aether. Never wielded it and his dear wife would still be alive. If they had been under Asgard’s control all along then war could have been avoided. That was the beginning. The seed of tyranny that later sprung into a tree.”

“When King Aldon came to the Aesir court to express his gratitude, Bor proposed that Alfheim forge a treaty with Asgard. Bor would provide a section of his army as permanent protection for Alfheim and in return Aldon would pay tribute to Bor. He proposed this treaty as the elves clearly had a ‘weak’ military as they tended to focus more on the ‘art of sedir’. Why Aldon agreed to this I’ll never know. But in the end Alfheim was sort of joined to Asgard. Bor encouraged the mages in Asgard to learn from the mages of Alfheim as well. The newer generation of Aesir had Jotunn blood and were better at sedir than their predecessors. Asgard started developing at a faster pace. They even started negotiations with the dwarves and the Vanir.”

“By that time the Aesir and Jotunn had mixed with each other so thoroughly that it was impossible to keep track of the bloodlines. Bor was now old. My father Bergelmir died and I ascended to the throne. Before passing the throne to Odin, Bor wanted him to marry. He came to me and made the same proposal that Buri had made to my father. Marriage between my sister Angrboda and Odin. Our alliance with Asgard was strong. I had known Odin as a boy and Angrboda too liked him. So we agreed. Odin married my sister and like my Aunt she too went to live on Asgard. A year later they were blessed with a child, Odin’s firstborn, a girl nam-”

Loki banged his fists on the table interrupting Laufey. He stood up unable to help himself, “No! Odin married Frigga of Vanaheim! He.. **THOR** is his firstborn! You lie!” He started backing away again. “I assure you that he is not” Loki turned to Hela, looking at her with wide eyes. He shook his head “No! No! No!  **No!** I don’t believe you!” Hela held her hand up to Loki. “Go on. I know you can look at memories. Go on, read my memories. See for yourself.”

“Why would I look at your memories?!” Hela didn’t say anything, only looked at Loki with a calm expression.  _ ‘Who  _ **_is_ ** _ she?!’ _ Loki went over everything Laufey had said. Horror creeped onto his face.  _ ‘No! It can’t be!’ _ Loki looked at Hela again. At the similarities in their features. Laufey had said that Jotunn born of Bestla or Bergelmir could take on an Aesir form. He’d said that Bestla herself had pale skin and Laufey too had pale skin and green eyes when in Aesir form. He recalled that he’d heard Hela call Laufey uncle. Loki’s eyes widened. No! It can’t be! How could Odin have hidden something like this! How could he speak such a big lie! If...If...Laufey’s sister truly married Odin and Hela called him uncle. Then..Loki looked at Hela in shock.Then she was Odin’s firstborn  _ ‘I wish I could tell Thor, then he’ll know how I felt’  _ was the last thought Loki had before he fainted.

TBC...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note that in this fic the lifespan of Jotnar is longer than that of the Aesir. At least until the Aesir start mixing with the Jotunn. This idea came as Odin would have to be older than 5000 years if we say that Hela was born, grew up, fought wars and was imprisoned, all before Thor and Loki are even born. However most MCU wiki's and theory discussions say that Aesir live for 5000 years, which is not long enough for Hela to become a grown woman several thousand years old than Thor and Loki. Also, everyone in Asgard has no idea who she is which is just...not possible


	12. Puente Antiguo (part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Thor had been cast to Earth he had never expected to meet Jane. Nor had he expected her to like him. Especially when he was no longer a prince, cast out with nothing to his name. But after the initial misunderstanding, Jane had welcomed Thor, given him a place in her life. Thor expected that it was gone. Surely Jane would turn away now when she knew just how far Thor had fallen to have been cast out in the first place.  
>  _“If someone is a true friend, you'd be surprised how understanding they can be.” - Josie Stronghold_  
>  But Jane surprised Thor again. Thor had never expected that here on Midgard, a planet most Aesir scoffed at, called backwards and primitive he would find a friend that accepted Thor for all his faults. A friend who saw the man behind the prince, and didn’t turn away...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for discussions of racist behavior. It made me uncomfortable to write it But there's no other name for the attitude towards Jotunn that the Aesir have.  
> I also want to say..I like Thor. I feel a lot of his failings stem from his childhood i.e. the way Odin raised him and Loki. That said Thor is hundreds of years old and mature enough that even with his upbringing his attitude towards the Jotunn in Thor 1 is highly deplorable So is the little regard he had for attacking and killing them. And it is far from the kind of attitude he would need if he was going to 'rule' the nine realms

Thor POV 

Thor looked down at his feet. He could hear Jane pacing but didn’t dare look up. He did not want to see the rejection on her face. Jane had been so good to Thor. They were no longer in a relationship but she had still given him a place in her house, not demanding anything in return. She had listened so patiently. Thor couldn’t lie to her. He had to tell her the truth. On Asgard everyone had brushed Thor’s attack on Jotunheim off as a mistake. A courtesy they did not extend to Loki. Thor had been sure that he would be expected to go to Jotunheim to ask forgiveness for his actions but Odin never mentioned anything about it. Odin seemed to think that Thor being cast to Midgard was penance enough. 

But Thor knew in his heart that the problem was much more than him simply losing his temper. Coming to Midgard, finding Jane, Darcy and Erik. Seeing how versatile they were, how resilient. Thor had realized that he had been so wrong. He had thought Midgardians backwards but here was Jane whose intelligence and creativity could rival that of the Aesir. Then the thought had come in his mind. That maybe he’d been too quick to judge the Jotnar. Assuming that they were all monsters. When he had returned to Asgard, after Loki’s fall, Frigga had told him that Loki was adopted. That Odin had brought him from Jotunheim. Thor had been completely shaken.

Loki was Jotunn. All Thor remembered thinking back then was Why? Why had Odin let him call the Jotnar monster? Why had he never stopped Thor when he said he would kill them all? Why? When he knew...he **knew** Loki was Jotunn. Then why did allow such notions to take root in Thor? He had tried asking Odin when they all dined together. But all he’d said was that the Jotunn craved war. It was natural to assume that they were doing something nefarious. Odin had then shaken his head and told Thor that this was why he hadn’t told Loki of his origins. Siting Loki’s attempt to destroy Jotunheim as an example of how Jotunn tend to be inclined towards destruction. Thor had wanted to argue but had kept quiet at the look on his mother’s face.

He hadn’t told his friends that Loki was Jotunn in fear that they too might say that it was proof of his behavior. But he expressed his desire to make amends with Jotunheim. Hogun had been thoughtful but pointed out that maybe he would not be welcome after last time. Volstagg had simply said that there was no need to apologize for losses that happened in a battle. Fandral hadn’t said anything at the time. But Sif had scoffed and said that Thor had done the nine a favor by killing off some of the Jotunn. That they were savages and she didn’t understand why the Allfather insisted on having a peace treaty with them. 

Her venomous words had grated at Thor. He didn’t have a name for this attitude towards the Jotunn but he didn’t like it. Not anymore. He stopped spending much time with the warriors three and Sif. Throwing himself in the reconstruction of the Bifrost. Then Heimdall had seen Loki on Midgard and Thor had pushed this thought aside in light of the events that followed up to Loki’s death But now after coming to Midgard, he tried to search if Midgard had any similar notions like that of the Aesir towards the Jotunn. He came across the term ‘racist’. He read the histories in the town library and realized that there was a time when Midgardians differentiated amongst their own. A section of people considered themselves superior to others just because they looked a certain way. How people were expected to control the looks they were born with escaped him.

But then Thor thought about it. All those stories of the monstrous appearance of the Jotunn. Yet who were the Aesir to say that the Jotunn looked monstrous? That was how the Norns had made them. Maybe they found the Aesir monstrous. Thor might be young for an Aesir but even he knew that looks have very little to do with character and behavior. **_‘At yet you did not hesitate to attack the Jotunn. You know why? Because you judged them by their looks too.’_ ** It was true. Thor was ashamed. Ashamed of the carelessness with which he had treated the Jotunn. How little thought he had given to all the lives he had taken on Jotunheim.

Because of course they were just Jotunn? Right? Ugly, monstrous Jotunn, with blue skin and red eyes. Like some reincarnation of demons. Thor was disgusted by himself. And he was angry. Angry that so many on Asgard still thought like this. That Odin did nothing to discourage it. “Thor!!” Thor blinked and looked up. Jane was looking at him, one eyebrow raised. Thor realized that she had been speaking but he’d missed it. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t listening. Could you please say that again?” Thor said, his voice small.

Jane sighed and came back to the couch and sat opposite him, pulling her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. “I asked ‘didn’t your mom or dad ever say it was wrong to think of the Jotunn like that?’” Thor shook his head, “No. Never. My fath-Odin often told us tales of how he defeated the Jotunn. And...um...when he did I would say that one day I would say that when I was King I would hunt them down and kill them all. Odin never corrected me…” Jane looked horrified. Thor looked down in shame. He regretted it now. Every word of hatred that he had ever spoken against the Jotunn but there was no taking it back. 

“But….”, Jane sighed and sat straighter. “Ok..Let me just...You said that Asgard and Jotunheim have a peace treaty right?” Thor nodded. “Ok….and um….Asgard is like this supreme leader for all the other realms right? You have treaties with the other realms and..like you have…..representatives of other realms? Who comes to Asgard to renew their treaties every once in a while right?” Thor nodded again wondering where Jane was going with this. “Yes we often have representatives coming to negotiate or even just visit” Jane nodded, “Ok...so don’t you have a representative for Jotunheim. Like an ambassador. Who comes every few decades or...centuries to renew the peace treaty?” 

“Of course we….”, Thor frowned. He shifted through his memories trying to recall if they ever had a representative visit from Jotunheim. “No...we…” realization dawned on Thor’s face. “No. We have never had a visitor from Jotunheim. Ever.” But how could it be? Jane was right. Someone must have surely come if not for anything else then to renew the treaty. That was what Asgard did with all other realms. They renewed the treaties every century. Even Svol of Muspelheim came to renew their treaty. But Thor did not recall any Jotunn every visiting Asgard. Nor did he recall any representative from Asgard ever going to Jotunheim.

“Thats…” Jane interrupted Thor’s musings. She looked confused. Thor didn’t blame her. “Have you ever seen it?” Thor looked at Jane in confusion. “The treaty. Between Jotunheim and Asgard. There must be a document right? With all the terms. What's allowed and what's not allowed. You said you were going to be crowned King. You must have read the treaty right? You must know details. Especially if things were so tense between your kingdom and their’s” Thor bit his lip. Was there a scroll with the terms of the treaty written on it? Thor wouldn’t know. He always skipped the lessons with Uncle Vili. He was supposed to ensure that Thor was aware of the various agreements between the realms. But Thor found it boring and often skipped the lessons. Going adventuring with his friends instead.

 _‘Why did I ever think myself capable of ruling Asgard?’_ Jane was still looking at him expectantly. But there was resignation in her eyes. Like she knew what Thor was going to say. It was a look his mother and then later Loki often gave him. Thor tried to ignore the feeling of guilt that bubbled in his chest. “No….I...I have never seen it. If it even exists…” How many times had his mother told him that a ruler needs more than strength? How many times had Loki begged him to pay more attention in the council meetings? But Thor always ignored them. Focusing only on what Odin wanted. _‘And look where that has led’_ Thor realized that in stopping his coronation, Loki had done him and Asgard a huge favor. Thor would have been a terrible king. 

Jane nodded. “Ok..But still...surely there must be some people on Asgard..in your family….just someone who had some connection to Jotunheim. Or who didn’t like all this bias against them. Don’t tell me that everyone on Asgard collectively hates the Jotunn. That’s just not possible Thor. Somewhere, someone always disagrees. You travelled to other realms. Did they also share this opinion?”

Thor furrowed his brow. Thinking back to all the times he and his friends had been off Asgard. They had not been allowed to go to Jotunheim. But Thor and his friends would often discuss what it would be like to go there. What savage acts they might find the Jotunn engaging in. He tried to recall the people around them during these discussions. Had they all had expressions of disgust at the way Thor thought of the Jotunn? Thor tried to remember if any of his uncles had connections to Jotunheim. The memory came back to him suddenly.

_‘His uncle Freyr had come for a visit from Alfheim. He had his bags packed and was in the courtyard, getting ready to go back. His mother was there too. They were talking. Thor had hid behind a pillar and listened to them_

_Freyr: “No Frigga! I can’t stand it anymore!”_

_Frigga: “Freyr please just let it go. Don’t leave just yet. Please..”_

_His mother was clutching Uncle Freyr’s arm and pleading._

_Freyr: “No! Have you heard the way he speaks of the Jotunn? How can you just stand and listen to this bigotry? And why? Just because Asgard won? Asgard won against Alfheim too a long time ago. Is Odin going to start calling the elves monsters now? Hm?”_

_Uncle Freyr turned away and took the reins of his horse in his hand._

_Frigga: “I know. I know the way he speaks. But what would you have me do? I try to get him to stop but he doesn’t listen. And then he gets angry at me. I don’t have many friends in the court, Freyr. I can’t afford to have Odin be angry at me as well. Think of the children! If Odin sets me aside Thor and Loki will be left to these hounds! Who knows what kind of bigotry will be taught to them! We must be patient. Please let it go. I can’t do this alone.”_

_Mother put a hand on Uncle Freyr’s shoulder. Uncle Freyr turned back to face his mother and sighed._

_Freyr: “I am with you sister always. But...Menja was my mentor. And when Odin speaks like this about her people. Especially when those people are the reason Odin is who he is today. I can’t….I can’t just stand there and listen. I fear if I stay here any longer I might try to kill Odin. Patience was never one of my qualities. I think it's best if I go back.”_

_His mother nodded and stepped back._

_Frigga: “I understand.”_

_Freyr: “Don’t worry Frigga. Odin may control the Bifrost, but he cannot stop me from communicating with you. I shall write to you. I don’t need to Bifrost to send my letters. That would be too dramatic anyways”_

_Uncle Freyr winked and his mother laughed. He climbed on his horse and trotted away.’_

Freyr never visited Asgard again. Choosing to send letters instead. Thor remembered him sending chests full of books and toys for Loki and him. He also remembered staying at his palace in Alfheim when Thor would go for hunts. But Uncle Freyr never came to Asgard. Thor had asked his mother once why he never visited. She had smiled sadly and said that it was because the atmosphere of Asgard did not suit him. Thor wondered if she had been speaking of the actual weather or of the attitude of the people. Thor looked at Jane. She was waiting patiently for him.

“I...I think my Uncle. Freyr, the ruler of Alfheim might have disagreed…..But I’m...I haven’t spoken to him in a long time….” Thor wondered if Uncle Freyr would even want to talk to him now. He hadn’t even come for his mother’s funeral. _‘Or maybe he tried and Odin refused’_ If Odin and Freyr didn’t like each other, and kept up the appearances only for his mother’s sake then surely after her death there would be no way to dissuade the hostility. Thor shelved that thought for later. “But no...other than that I don’t recall anyone ever getting angry at me for the way I talked of the Jotunn” To be honest Thor wasn’t sure if people would have contested his views even if they had disagreed. He was the crown prince of Asgard after all.

Jane apparently thought the same. “Would they have said something? If they disagreed. I mean. I don’t know how approachable the royalty is on other planets, but here on Earth we do express our opinions. At least now. We didn’t have that before the internet. But now people can get pretty vocal if they disagree with something.” Thor did think he was approachable. But did the people feel the same? Maybe on Asgard. He wasn’t sure if the people of the other realms felt the same. 

“Look Thor. I’m just trying to understand how things are. Because to me it seems like Odin has this bias against the Jotunn for some reason. He passed his ideas to you and nobody ever challenged it. Which is strange. You said your uncle was the ruler of Alfheim right? So, the other planets have their own rulers. Who would technically have the same social status as you right. They are your peers. Did none of them ever say something? Do **they** have connections with Jotunheim? To me it sounds like Jotunheim was completely isolated from the other planets after the war with Asgard. Does that sound right to you? If Asgard says it has made peace with other realms Jotunheim included. And you have trade with other realms. You marry among them obviously since you said your mom was from Vanaheim. Then why does it feel like Jotunheim was left out purposely. Nobody speaks of it and when they do it is to say that the Jotunn are horrible. Why? Since the war with Asgard the only action of violence was on your coronation. In between they seem to not do anything antagonistic. Then why all the hate?”

Thor thought about it. It was true. Before the attempt to steal the Casket there had been no act of violence from the Jotunn. No one from Jotunheim ever came to the Council of Nine. There was no representative to renew the treaty. When Thor travelled to other realms he never encountered a Jotunn. Really all Thor had heard about the Jotunn came from the stories his father used to tell. Even the other older warriors that trained with Thor were hesitant. They agreed with Thor when he talked of the Jotunn. But never broached the topic themselves. He had tried searching for information on the Jotunn after Loki’s fall. But all the books in Asgard’s library only talked of the Asgard-Jotunheim war or were tales for children that demonized the Jotunn. None of the books told him anything about the customs, culture or nature of the Jotunn

Had Thor really hated the Jotunn all these years just because Odin said so? He had. Thor realized that if he ignored all that Odin had said then there really was no reason for Thor to assume that the Jotunn were a terrible race. He did not have any interactions with the Jotunn. Yes there were few people like Sif and Thor realized to some extent Heimdall who seemed outright hostile towards the Jotunn. But Thor never had any personal experience to base his hate on. He let himself be carried away by Odin’s tales. Thought that in order to be like Odin he needed to follow in his footsteps and rid the realms of the supposed threat of the Jotunn.

“It's not completely your fault you know” Thor turned to look at Jane. She smiled at him encouragingly. “You were a child. Odin should have corrected you the very first time you called the Jotunn monsters. But he didn’t. He is as much at fault here if not more. He is your father Thor. Of course you believed him when he said that the Jotunn couldn’t be trusted.” Thor shook his head. “I was far from a child when I barged in Jotunheim and attacked them over a stupid insult.”

Jane bit her lip, thinking. “Would you do it again?” Thor looked at her. “If you had a chance to do things again. Would still go after the Jotunn like you did?” “No. Never. I know my mistake now. I wish everyday that I could take it back. Everyday Jane. I wish I could take back every word, every action against the Jotunn back. Especially when..” Thor hesitated. He hadn’t told anyone Loki was Jotunn. Just that he was adopted. On Asgard he feared that knowledge of Loki’s true heritage might turn the people against him more. It never came up with the Avengers during the battle. And Thor had been too wary of Fury and SHIELD to bring it up later. But Jane had been so accepting of Thor. And she didn’t hold any bias against Jotunn. Maybe…

“Especially when?” Jane prompted Thor gently. Thor steeled himself. “Especially when now I know that Loki was Jotunn too” Jane's jaw dropped open in shock. “What?!!” Thor winced at the volume. “You know I told you Loki was adopted.” Jane nodded numbly. “Well yes..uh...after he fell from the Bifrost, my mother told me that Odin had brought Loki with him from Jotunheim. She said he had found Loki abandoned in a temple. Left to die because he was too small for a Jotunn. Odin brought him back when he returned and raised him along with me as his son. I believe this revelation is mostly to blame for the drastic turn in my brother’s behavior.”

Jane was still staring at Thor in shock. Thor wondered if he should have kept the truth of Loki’s heritage to himself. Jane suddenly got up startling Thor and started pacing again. She looked at him, opened and closed her mouth a few times. “You...are you....I mean...Loki...Odin...What?!” Thor looked at Jane confused as to what she was trying to say. Jane took a deep breath. “What do you mean Loki was Jotunn?” Thor frowned. “I mean to say that he was born on Jotunheim. Like I said my father found him abandoned and decided to adopt him. But Loki was originally from Jotunheim. In fact he was the son of Laufey, the king of Jotunheim.”

Jane looked at him suspiciously. “If he was ‘abandoned’ as you say then how do you know he was Laufey’s son?” “All Jotunn have markings on their skin. Like the tattoos you humans have...or birthmarks you could say. The marks represent their bloodline. My mother said that’s how Odin knew Loki was Laufey’s son. In his Jotunn form Loki had the same marks as Laufey.” Jane shook her head.

“So you’re saying that your dad found a child in a temple somewhere on Jotunheim when he was returning from war. He assumed that the child was abandoned and decided to bring him to Asgard. Ok. I can believe that even Odin can have this much compassion. But then you say he knew it was Laufey’s child. Laufey who was like Odin’s number one enemy. That Laufey. And Loki was his child and Odin still decided to ‘adopt’ Loki.” Jane snorted.

“I’m sorry Thor but that’s a little suspicious. I mean do you honestly expect me to believe that Odin ‘I hate Jotunns’ decided to adopt the ‘abandoned’ child of the Jotunn king out of the goodness of his heart? And what do you mean this revelation may have been the reason Loki went bonkers? Are you saying that all these years Odin didn’t tell Loki that he was Jotunn? Really!! And he still kept the opinion that Jotunn were monsters!! When he knew Loki himself was Jotunn!! So basically he made sure that one day Loki would hate himself. Seriously!! You don’t think Odin should have been honest with Loki about his adoption from the beginning?! I thought you said Jotunn have blue skin and red eyes. Loki doesn’t even look like that!” Jane was waving her hands in the air too worked up to stay still. What could Thor say? He had the same questions but no answers

“It was a glamour.” Thor explained quietly “Loki was a natural shapeshifter. He could take on the forms of other people. The visage that you saw was a glamour put by Odin to help Loki blend in with the Aesir.” Jane didn’t look very happy about that revelation. Thor slinked down trying to disappear. “Blend in!! Blend in!! I’m pretty sure that whatever ‘visage’ Loki was born with was perfectly fine Thor.” Jane’s voice had gone deathly calm. Thor’s experience with Loki said it was a sign that she was beyond anger, in rage now. “No wonder Loki went all crazy. Who wouldn’t? Odin raised him with a false identity. It makes sense now why he tried to kill you all. He probably had a complete mental breakdown”

Jane sat back down with a huff, brow furrowed in thought. Thor wondered what she was thinking. She turned to face him again. “You said that when you went to Jotunheim and met Laufey he called Odin a thief and a murderer.” “Yes he did. What does that have to do with Loki being adopted?” “Thor, Asgard and Jotunheim were at war right?” Thor nodded. “So, it's obvious that people would die on both sides. I get that Laufey would see Odin taking the Casket as a robbery. Odin took something that was exclusively Jotunheim’s. It would be seen as a theft. But murderer sounds a little personal. And Odin found Loki in a temple. Like not somewhere on the sidewalk. **Inside** a temple. What if….What if he wasn’t abandoned? Do you know which temple it was? Aren’t there usually priests or something in a temple? Are you **sure** Loki was abandoned?”

A strange feeling creeped up Thor’s stomach. No! He didn’t want to believe Odin would do something like that! Yes he wasn’t the best father but this! No! Thor didn’t want to believe Odin was capable of deliberately separating a child from his father like that. And yet… **_“And yet you can’t say for sure that he wouldn’t do something like this. Can you? You don’t know anything about Jotunheim. How can you say that temple had no priests? What proof is there that Odin found Loki in a temple? Maybe he stole him from the palace itself. How sure are you that Odin is speaking the truth when he has already proved himself capable of speaking great lies”_ ** That voice mocked Thor again.

“Look I don’t mean to offend you Thor. I know Odin is your father. But...but you have to admit that a lot of problems could have been avoided if Odin had been honest from the very beginning. If Loki really was abandoned, then why did Odin hide his adoption? And….I mean….why not tell Loki at the very least? Why the secret Thor? I just...it doesn’t add up. Something is missing here. This whole story feels one-sided. I...we need another perspective Thor. Someone else must know something. Maybe one of the soldiers who were with Odin at that time? Someone from Jotunheim? One of your uncles? Heimdall? Just somebody who is able to tell us more about Jotunheim. Not what Odin thinks of Jotunheim. But...the reality of things in Jotunheim. Is leaving small children to die something they even do? Isn’t there someone….anyone you could talk too? Someone who is not afraid to have a different opinion from Odin and Asgard?”

Thor thought about it. Was there someone who would be willing to tell him about Jotunheim? Thor recalled that memory of Uncle Freyr again. Should Thor approach Freyr? Thor couldn’t think of anyone else. If his mother had been alive he would have gone to her. But she was beyond Thor’s reach now. He didn’t trust Heimdall to give an honest opinion. Not with the way he seemed to still harbor hatred towards Loki. His friends would be of no help. They did not have any more knowledge than him. Thor might approach the council members or even Uncle Vili and Uncle Ve, but he feared they would alert Odin. Thor did not want to answer Odin why he was looking for information on Jotunheim. That left Thor with Uncle Freyr. If his memory was accurate then approaching Freyr was the best option here.

 _‘But how to contact him without drawing Heimdall’s gaze’_ Thor wasn’t very skilled in magic. But some simple spells he could do. His mother had taught Thor to send letters back and forth between realms without the aid of the Bifrost. So that they could communicate easily when Thor was travelling with his friends and Loki. Thor supposed he would have to pray to the Norns that a simple letter was ignored by Heimdall. Though would Freyr respond to Thor’s letters? There was only one way to find out. Thor had spent most of his life being ignorant and prejudiced towards the Jotunn. It was time to change that. And if Thor had to beg his uncle then it was the least he could do. Thor turned to Jane again.

“I think I need to write to my Uncle, Freyr. I think after my mother he is probably the only one who would not be afraid to tell me the truth. Do you have a pen and some paper? The sooner I contact him the better.” Jane nodded and fetched a notepad and a pen from her bag. “You know Erik found all these myths about you and Asgardians when you first came. We should search here too. On Earth I mean. Maybe somewhere there is a book or a scroll about Jotunheim. You did say that during the war they came to Earth too. There must be some account recorded from back then. Or maybe some artifact or relic that was left behind. It might help.” Thor nodded. Yes that was a good idea. He needed information about Jotunheim that was not tainted with Asgard’s prejudice. 

Thor wrote the letter. Simply stating that he wanted to speak with Freyr. If the letter did fall in someone else’s hand Thor could brush it off saying he wanted to talk about his mother with his uncle. On Alfheim people often remembered the dead by recounting the good they had done in their life. It was a believable lie. He went to the window of the living room and opened it. Thor spoke the spell his mother had taught him. A raven made of light appeared and caught the letter in its beak. Thor whispered Freyr’s name in the raven’s ear. The raven nodded to him then flapped its wings taking off at great speed towards the sky. A small portal opened and the raven flew through it disappearing. Thor hoped the small flare of magic had gone unnoticed.

He turned and saw Jane looking at the sky in fascination. She looked at Thor with a big smile on her face. “That was so cool! You have to tell how you did that!” “Of course Jane.” Jane nodded satisfied and started walking out of the room. “Cool. Now that we are all settled on what to do. I think I’m gonna finally go to sleep. I have to still analyse that data from the Convergence. It hates me. But I will crack it one of these days! Are you going to be ok?” Jane looked back. Concern clear on her face. “Yes Jane. Thank you for listening” Jane smiled at him. “Anytime Thor. Besides that’s what friends are for” She left and went upstairs. Thor heard the door of her room close.

‘Friends’ Jane’s declaration gave Thor comfort. He realized that the last time he had felt true friendship it had been Loki. But Thor had foolishly discarded it in favor of ‘friends’ who probably only sought Thor because he was the prince. Jane had proved a better friend in the short time Thor had known her than all the other friends he’d had over the centuries. He realized that it was because Jane looked at him as just Thor. Not Crown Prince of Asgard Thor. Just Thor. He also realized that true friends led you to the truth no matter how painful instead of letting you continue in the lie. Like Loki had tried once a long time ago. _‘Oh Loki. You were right. I am an idiot. I hope one day when we see each other again you will forgive me for not recognizing your friendship and love.’_

Thor looked out the window again. It was a new day. The sun had begun rising. Its rays fell on Thor. Thor closed his eyes. It felt like a new beginning. An opportunity to be a better man. Thor vowed in his heart that he would not waste it.

TBC….

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Finally Thor is truly breaking the Asgardian mold and thinking more and more for himself. I chose Jane as his sounding board because Thor needs that neutral third party to give him a different perspective. That mixed with the views of democracy and secularism and equality that Jane has make her a good sounding board to point out the bias that is rampant in Asgard


	13. The Black Castle (part 3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki used to read a lot. He’d read of the many accomplishments of Odin. His not-father had for long been an ideal. An ideal Loki strived to become but never could. Then he’d found that he was Jotunn and he had a hard time reconciling the ideal with the liar in front of him
> 
> _“Ideals are peaceful. History is violent.” – Don Collier_
> 
> Now here, in this dark realm. In the midst of the dead, Loki sees the real face of Odin. And he realizes that ideal was just that. An ideal. It was not real. That was why Loki always fell short of it. Because like all other things Odin had lied about this too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! This was a struggle to write. I wanted to get all the history out of the way. But sadly despite this chapter's length it is simply not possible to fit Asgard's conquest and the war with Jotunheim in one chapter. So we're dividing it. That said. The majority of Hela's back story is now going to be out of the way. (which is like a huge chunk of exposition. So now the plot can finally move forward) Proof reading was a nightmare. So if you see any mistakes please let me know.  
> Once again absolutely no connection to actual Norse mythology at all(expect for the names)

Loki POV 

Loki woke up slowly. His head throbbed. He wondered what he had been doing last night. His dreams had been so strange. He’d dreamt he was dead. But instead of going to Vahalla he was in Helheim. For some reason Laufey was there with a woman called Hela who claimed to be Odin’s firstborn. Oh! and apparently Laufey could take on an Aesir form. Loki snorted. As if. He got up slowly keeping his eyes closed trying not to jostle his head too much. Once upright in bed Loki slowly opened his eyes and came face to face with Hela. He yelped in surprise and fell backwards and off the bed, banging his head on the headboard in the process. 

“Oooh That’s the second time you’ve hit your head on something. It can’t be good, dear cousin” Hela commented from her seat on Loki’s bed. Loki scowled and got off the floor throwing the sheets on the bed angrily. “Why is it that every time I wake up you are creepily staring at me!!” He pointed one accusing finger at Hela. She studied her nails and shrugged. “You talk in your sleep. Something about wanting to braid Thor’s hair. I was curious.” Loki was not blushing. The room was too warm. Hela smirked at him. Loki huffed and crossed his arms. 

“Well anyways….now that you are awake shall we continue our talk? You fainted and hit your head on the dining table. There’s a dent now. Laufey motherhened over your unconscious body till Vidar suggested we should probably move you. Laufey insisted you needed to rest. He’s gone to try and find some meat for you to eat. Apparently you are a poor tiny snowflake that the wind can blow away” Hela looked at him with a faux concerned expression Loki knew too well from when he used it on Thor. He was starting to see the family resemblance. That thought sobered him.

Hela was apparently very perceptive because she noticed the change. “I understand it's a lot to take in.” Loki snorted. That was an understatement. Hela sighed. “Come on, you said you’ll listen once.” Loki had promised that. It was just that he wasn’t sure if he could handle the truth. The truth had turned his world upside down once and Loki had not been able to handle it back then. What if he couldn’t handle it now? Hela got up and stood in front of him rubbing her chin in thought. “It's not a doubt, is it? You do believe us.” Loki nodded. Laufey had changed forms in front of his own eyes. Loki knew then that there was truth in what he had said. The proof had been in front of his eyes. Loki now also recalled all his history books. Remembering what was written in them. As a child he did not catch it. But thinking back now, he realized that there were omissions in the books. Strange leaps or details which were too vague. Bestla was the biggest example. There was no painting or description of how she had looked. No mural or tapestry from that period of time. Loki now realized that it was an attempt to hide the truth.

Hela looked at him knowingly. “You don’t think you can take it. Hearing the truth.” Loki idly wondered which side of the family Hela inherited this perception from. She was eerily accurate in reading Loki’s emotions. “Come let us go outside. Perhaps some fresh air will help. It’s not good to be cooped up in the castle all the time.” Loki nodded. Yes. It would be nice to see the outside world. The memory of his captivity in Asgard was still too fresh. Loki did not like staying inside too much

Loki followed Hela out. They turned a few corners and came to the foyer of the building. Hela pushed the door open and went outside. Loki saw that the castle they had been in was part of a group of buildings with the square in the middle. There was a huge fountain but it was dry. Loki looked at the sky. It was dark. Loki could see stars twinkling from between the clouds. Loki wondered how one could measure time in Helheim if it was always dark. Hela was now standing by the fountain. Loki walked up to her.

He was about to speak but Hela held one finger up to silence him. She looked to her right and Loki turned to see what she was looking at. A portal suddenly formed in front of them. Laufey and the other Jotunn who Loki assumed was Vidar stepped out from the portal. It closed behind them. Laufey was carrying a few rabbits in his hand but their fur was black. “Ah Loki you’re awake! Look I found some rabbits. I shall have Vidar cook them for you. You look a little pale. They will help you recover your strength.” Vidar didn’t seem to like that idea much. Hela rolled her eyes. Loki looked at the rabbits. They were skinny with barely any meat on them. He only really liked fish and tended to avoid other meats. He looked at Laufey who was once again looking at Loki like he was about to disappear. 

“Maybe later” Hela said while Loki was still contemplating how to dissuade Laufey without sounding rude. Laufey deflated, looking like someone had stabbed his cat. “Loki wants to hear more Uncle. The food can wait. Let’s all go to my garden. We can sit there and talk” Laufey sobered immediately and nodded. He handed the rabbits to Vidar. “Very well. Here Vidar take these. And make sure no one disturbs us” Vidar took the rabbits and bowed slightly to Laufey. He turned and disappeared through another portal. “Vidar patrols Helheim periodically. Most souls live peacefully in their bubbles. But occasionally we have souls that are full of hate. They disturb the peace. It is Vidar’s duty to report them” Hela explained. She turned and started walking towards a small path at the edge of the square. 

Laufey looked at Loki like he wanted to say something. But then simply followed Hela. Loki shrugged and followed too. Hela led them behind the castle. And Loki saw that there was a garden there. The plants were all odd. With black stems and leaves. The soil looked a little strange to Loki but he decided to ignore it. Hela sat down cross legged by what Loki assumed was a rose bush. He sat in front of her and Laufey sat in between them in a semi circle. Loki didn’t know where to begin.

“Are you ok? When you fainted you hit your head on the table.” Loki looked at Laufey who was looking at him concerned. It was still odd for Loki to talk to him. “Yes..uh I feel better now.” Hela snickered. No doubt remembering Loki falling off the bed. Loki glared at her half-heartedly. Laufey had that wistful look on his face again. Loki wondered for the first time what it would have been like to grow up with Laufey as his father. _‘I’ll never know. Odin stole that chance from me’_ Loki couldn’t help the bitterness that welled in heart.

“I suppose I shall begin” Laufey looked at him and Loki nodded. Laufey gathered his thoughts. “As I said my sister Angrboda married Odin and a year later they had Hela. I married your mother Farbauti the same year. Hela did not have any Jotun markings but her form resembled my sister’s Aesir visage. Odin was half Jotun and Angrboda was a full blooded Jotun as a result Hela was more powerful than the average mix blood. There is one thing you must know. In all this time the Aesir did not know about the Casket of Ancient Winters. My father Bergelmir did not tell Buri or Bor about it. The Casket of Ancient Winters was at all times kept in the inner sanctuary of the temple of The One Above All. He is the one the Jotuns worship. When a Jotun child is born, we take the child to the inner sanctuary and the child stays with the Casket under the care of the priests for three days and nights. The Casket opens channels in the Jotun that allow them to wield sedir better.”

“My father feared that if knowledge of the Casket reached Asgard then they would try to take it. The Casket is also the anchor for Jotunheim’s sedir. Without it the ley lines in Jotunheim that connect it to Yggdrasil become wild, overflowing with power more than we can handle. Thus keeping the Casket away from Jotunheim for too long causes the ice to crack and break, the planet surface becomes unstable and we have to constantly remove power from the ley lines to ensure that we are not consumed by the havoc. For this the high priest or priestess connects themselves to the planet's sedir core and releases the energy into the void. When the Casket was there the same purpose was achieved through it. It is a taxing task no matter which way it is done and often renders the one doing it unconscious for days.”

“All Jotuns have the ability to mentally link themselves to the Casket though not all can handle the power that well. I often wonder if my father should have allowed the half Jotun access to the Casket. But he didn’t for Bjorn had said that the half Jotun would not be able to handle a link with the Casket. As I have said before prolonged use of the Casket suppressed the royals’ ability to take on Aesir form. Seeing this Bjorn concluded that the Casket enhanced Jotun traits. And as such exposing it to the half Jotun might cause them pain or result in some unnatural mutation. They were after all half Aesir too and that balance was best left untouched. So, we kept knowledge of the Casket to ourselves.”

Loki wondered if this was why the Casket had appeared in his hands when Heimdall had attacked him on the Bifrost. Laufey stopped here and appeared to be deliberating how to continue. Hela put her hand on his arm.

“Perhaps I should tell the next part. I knew Odin and Bor better and had more experience with them.” Laufey nodded “Yes, that would be better”

Hela turned to Loki, “When I was born I had more power than the other half jotuns on Asgard. My power was being able to sense life. I could see souls and with my touch things just grew. I was able to coax the flowers in the garden to bud early and the trees to bear more fruit. Once I even found a direwolf pup that was dead on one the visits to Jotunheim. I could see its soul had not completely disappeared. I coaxed it back into its body. It came back to life. I then took it back with me to Asgard. I named it Fenrir. He became my constant companion.”

“Mother was beyond happy. She said that I had been blessed by the One Above All. For the Jotuns believed that he had created all beings of this universe, even the Norns that the Aesir worshipped. She always told me that my power was a double edged sword. For that which could give life could also take it away. She wanted me to use my powers for good. To make the life of the people around me better.”

“Odin on the other hand...well he saw a chance. A chance to build a perfect weapon. He had me train from a very young age. He consulted many mages to see how my powers could be used to kill. Mother did not like this. It led to many arguments. Bor tried to mediate but even he wanted me to learn to wield my power as a weapon. Bor was very traumatized by Bestla’s death. He constantly blamed himself and always said that if Svartalfheim had been under Asgard’s rule from the beginning then her life would have been spared. Bor started training more and more warriors. He even built a force made up entirely of female warriors called Valkyries.”

“But Bor was old and a war would be too taxing for him. And there was no war to be found. The realms were at peace. Still he and Odin would spend hours locked in Bor’s study drawing up defense plans for Asgard. Bor reached out to King Calen of Vanaheim. He wanted to trade with them. King Calen sent his youngest daughter Princess Frigga as representative for the negotiations. I was in my teen years then. I remember Frigga. She was fascinated by my powers and taught me many healing arts that she knew. My mother and her became good friends. Odin liked her too. But then I suppose you know better just how much Odin liked her”

Hela looked at Loki pointedly. Loki was surprised that Hela and Frigga had known each other.

“Our people and the people of Vanaheim started exchanging both knowledge and goods. Some of the Aesir even married among the Vanir. From one such union was born Heimdall. His father was Aegir of Asgard and his mother was Ran of Vanaheim. From a very young age Heimdall would speak of people that he could see. The problem was that all the people he described were too far away for him to have seen them. People thought it was just a game. Something young Heimdall made up to entertain himself. But my mother recognized that it was a gift.”

“She had Heimdall brought to the palace and also consulted Frigga together; they determined that Heimdall was able to see past the natural barriers of the realms and that if he honed this skill he would one day become capable of seeing past any wall or shield. When Bor and Odin got wind of this, they gave Aegir a place in the council and had Heimdall tutored and trained in the palace by the best of the best. They groomed him to become the guardian that he is today. During all this time uncle Laufey had no children of his own”

Loki looked at Laufey surprised. Laufey smiled sadly, “Yes it is true. Hela was a thousand years old but still me and Farbauti remained childless. You don’t know Loki just how long we waited to see your face. Just how much we prayed to the One Above All to grant us a child.” Laufey looked at him with so much longing that Loki had to look away. Now that he thought about it, if Laufey had married around the same time as Odin then Loki should have been closer in age to Hela but he was younger than even Thor.

“My powers grew stronger everyday. Uncle Laufey sent Menja the high priestess at the time to train me. From Vanaheim, Calen requested that Menja train his son Freyr as well. She tutored us both. Then Heimdall reported that he saw that Sutur the great fire demon from Muspelheim had attacked Nidavellir and established himself over the dwarves. Sutur held King Gamon hostage and forced him to forge a greatsword for him. In fear Gamon did as asked and presented Sutur with a flaming sword. Sutur then proceeded to cut off Gamon’s head with the very sword he had forged”

“Sutur declared himself Supreme ruler of the realms and sent envoys demanding that all the other rulers come and bow before him or he would cut off their heads as well. Obviously the other rulers had no intentions of doing so. Bor, Odin and Laufey gathered their forces, this time joined by Calen and Aldon. Odin set me as the commander of the Valkyries and told me to stay back and defend Asgard with my mother. They all proceeded towards Nidavellir.”

“Here uncle Laufey and the other Jotuns were at a disadvantage. The fire that Sutur and the other fire demons of Muspelheim could control hurt them. It also rendered the ice magic useless. So, uncle Laufey was forced to retreat. Sutur had his own mages. They were proficient in necromancy. In addition, Muspelheim also had dragons and this made it difficult for our armies to fight. A direct fight was not possible as Sutur’s armies proved too strong.”

“Frigga came up with a plan. She and Freyr would use their magic to shield themselves and a small unit of soldiers and infiltrate Sutur’s camp. Heimdall would guide them. Bor was hesitant but Odin agreed. So, in the end Odin, Frigga, Freyr and a few of the generals infiltrated Sutur’s camp. But to their surprise there was no one there except for the servants and slaves that Sutur had taken. Frigga used her magic and realized that Sutur had found one of the secret paths that connect the realms. He used it to transport his army while his mages cast illusions to give the impression that they were still in Nidavellir.”

“Sutur and his army were no longer there. Instead they had travelled the secret path and were in Asgard. I only had the Valkyries and my mother. We quickly realized that her magic would not work against the fire demons. I used my powers to create a giant wall of trees around the palace. The Valkyries and Heimdall evacuated as many people as they could and hid them in the mountains. On Nidavellir Odin and Bor tried to call the Bifrost but one of Sutur’s mages had damaged the mechanism. Freyr suggested they use the same path Sutur had used. It was narrow and the entire army could not be transported at the same time. But with no other option Bor and Odin agreed.”

“On Asgard, Sutur used his sword to cut through my wall. I remember feeling terrified that he would kill me and mother. That was the first time I used my power to take life. I could sense Sutur’s soul and pulled at it with all my power. Sutur screamed in pain and the sword fell from his hands. By now Odin had come through the secret path. He heard Sutur’s screams and followed it to the palace. He saw me trying to pull Sutur’s soul and saw that his sword had fallen. Mother was not able to pick it up because it burned her everytime she tried. Odin picked up the fallen sword and swung it beheading Sutur. Bor and the others also rushed in seeing Sutur’s fallen body.”

“That was the first time in my life that Odin praised me. He said that if it hadn’t been for me and my powers they would not have been able to defeat Sutur. Bor was just relieved that he did not lose more of his family to war. Uncle Laufey and mother were pleased with me but worried that trying to use my powers like this would cause problems. But Odin was over the moon. He said that Sutur’s defeat was proof that I should use my powers as a weapon and told me that I should start training immediately.”

“Bor had Sutur’s body buried in Muspelheim and his sword kept in the vault. Calen and Aldon went back home with their forces. Etri succeeded his father Gamon as King of the dwarves. As a sign of gratitude, he forged a weapon for both me and Odin. To Odin he presented Gungnir and to me Mjolnir. Odin said there could never be another more worthy than me to wield Mjolnir. “

Loki’s eyebrows rose in surprise. That Mjolnir had once been Hela’s weapon made him uncomfortable. He couldn’t see anyone but Thor wield it.

“Odin was now completely convinced that Asgard needed a better bigger army. In his mind Asgard should have had enough forces to both defend against and attack at the same time. But Bor had realized that absolute power was not the solution. Sutur declaring himself supreme opened his eyes. If Asgard ruled over all then it would be no different than Sutur and Bor knew that the other realms would never accept it. But it was too late the idea had taken root in Odin and the people favored Odin as he had been the one to cut off Sutur’s head. Bor’s influence at court decreased everyday and even the council was anxious for Odin to be made King.”

“Now, my grandfather Bor was already old. After the war he fell ill and shortly after that passed away. Before he died he had us all gather in his chamber. He made Odin King after him with Vili and Ve as his chief advisors. My mother of course was given the title of queen. But he called me to his bedside and said that he saw my grandmother Bestla in me. He said that I had her tenacity and he told me to hear all the advice but to listen to my heart. He told me: ‘Your mind may say it is right Hela but it is your heart whose judgement is true. For the heart always knows when something is wrong’ I think towards the end he knew that Odin only loved my power not me. He wanted me to be more than just a weapon. I wish I had listened to him”

Hela looked sad. Loki wished he had known Bor. He could understand rage over the death of a loved one. For Loki himself had lost his life to get revenge on the one who had killed Frigga. 

“After Bor’s death, Odin ascended to the throne. He sent Vili to Alfheim as an ambassador and to keep watch over the outpost there which had been established by Bor. He had more and more people train as soldiers. More than half the population studied the art of war. That was quite a lot of people. I had settled in my role as commander of the Valkyries. Brunnhilde was my second in command. She was one of the few friends I had. Mother was still against me using my powers as a weapon. But Odin encouraged it. The arguments got worse and worse everyday. Menja had gone back to Jotunheim on order of my mother and Odin now sought a mentor for me. Muspelheim was without a leader and Sutur’s son Skoll rose to the throne in his father’s stead. His mother Dykn advised him to make peace with the rest of the nine.”

“As a sign of peace he offered whispering iron to the dwarves, a rare metal found in Muspelheim that could be spelled and used to create relics. To Odin he offered his mother Dykn as a tutor for me. Dykn was well versed in necromancy and she told Odin that she could find a way for me to twist my powers and use them as a weapon. My mother was deadly against this. But Odin refused to listen to her. Dykn was given a place to stay on Asgard. Her presence made everyone from the common baker to the highest general uncomfortable. So Odin had her moved near the forest far from the city.”

“The arguments between Odin and my mother got worse as the days progressed. Odin revealed to me that he himself had looked for a way to increase his own powers but alas due to his mixed blood it was not to be. He told me that I had in front of me an opportunity and that I shouldn’t waste it. I was conflicted on one hand my mother told me that twisting my powers would insult the One Above All and that I shouldn’t do it. On the other hand Odin told me that I was meant for great things and that mother was just worried. Looking at me as if I were still a child. In the end, I decided that there was no harm in listening to Dykn just once. If I didn’t like what she told me I could always back out and stick to my mother’s advice”

“Now, I left to go stay with Dykn and learn what she had to offer. In the palace my mother fell ill. A fever took her and the healers were not able to determine what was wrong. Odin sent two messages, one to Frigga and the other to uncle Laufey. But he did not inform me. Dykn told me that my powers of life could be redirected. She said that I was connected to the core of Yggdrasil which was what breathed life in all things. To change this I needed to be connected to the roots of Yggdrasil. I had to redirect my channels to connect to Helheim which is the closest physical manifestation of Yggdrasil’s roots. It is Yggdrasil’s roots that controlled death in the realms.”

“The process would be painful. I was attempting to change my natural born channel and shape it in my desired form. Dykn warned me that a change like this could not be undone. She told me to take some time and think about it very carefully before I made a choice. But I….I was young. Odin had praised my efforts in stopping Sutur. He had looked at me with pride. He let me keep Mjolnir. He made me commander of the Valkyries. It felt like he finally saw me as a child he would be proud of. I knew mother would always love me. But I feared I would lose the respect I had earned in Odin’s eyes if I backed out now.”

“I told Dykn to perform the spell. Dykn gave me a draught to put me in a coma so that it would be easier for me to bear the pain while she reworked my channels. I don’t know if Dykn knew this but the coma did not stop me from feeling pain. I felt like someone had set my blood on fire. As part of my power over life, I could sense souls. As Dykn reworked my channels. I could still feel souls but there was something odd about them. They felt angry, frustrated or full of hate. I was still sensing souls but now they were of people who had died. Then something pulled me. I felt myself being pulled through the ground. Being dragged downwards. I could not see anything and the pull was so powerful I closed my eyes.”

“When I opened them I was in Helheim. Though I did not know that at the time. The land was barren with black soil and dark sky. Though if you look closely at the sky of Helheim you will realize that it appears as if the stars are painted on an underground ceiling. This entire realm is in the root of Yggdrasil. It **is** underground. But the natural shields of Helheim prevent the people here from realizing that.”

Loki hadn’t paid much attention to the sky. He would have to look at it again. Hela continued.

“I wandered around for a while. I felt like someone was watching me but every time I turned around there was no one there. I stopped wandering and tried to focus my power. It pulsed still raw. I could tell Dykn had not finished reworking it completely. But I could feel some power coming from the ground. I realized that like Jotunheim, Helheim also had ley lines which connected to a core. I followed them and came to a hole. It was huge. The diameter was big enough to cover the entire grounds of the palace. I saw jagged shapes carved in the one corner of the hole and something glowing at the bottom”

“I climbed down. At the bottom was a huge orb glowing green. I reached out my hand to touch it. As soon as I did, power flowed in me. My senses became overbearing. My sedir channels were blown wide and I could feel every soul in Helheim. That was the last part of reworking my powers. I could sense Dykn trying to wake me. I followed a thread and found myself in Dykn’s house. She was worriedly trying to wake me. I realized she thought I was dead. I could now see that my body was connected to my soul by a thread. When someone dies the thread is broken. I pulled it and returned to my body”

“By now Uncle Laufey had arrived in Asgard. He went to the palace and saw that I was not there. He demanded that I be informed of mother’s condition immediately. Odin argued that I was in the middle of very delicate sedir reworking and it was best that I was left alone till my work was done. But uncle Laufey was adamant. So Odin reluctantly had to tell him where I was. He wasted no time in contacting me.”

“I and Dykn were experimenting with my new found powers when Uncle Laufey found us. I was angry that Odin had not told me my mother was ill. Frigga had also arrived in Asgard. Laufey also sent for Menja to come from Jotunheim. Frigga examined my mother and discovered that something had damaged her connection to Yggdrasil. Her channels were torn and this was why she was ill. She was also finding it difficult to maintain her Aesir form. Menja came from Jotunheim. She confirmed that Frigga’s assessment was correct. I was very sad. There was nothing that could restore broken channels and I feared I was going to lose my mother”

“Frigga was more concerned as to what could have torn my mother’s channels like this. But uncle Laufey and Menja were worried that as mother could not maintain her Aesir form she might grow weaker in Asgard’s climate. They wanted to take her back to Jotunheim. But mother was too weak to travel by the Bifrost. With my newly gained powers, I could see that her thread was frayed and breaking with every passing moment. I tried to reach out and repair it. But in gaining powers over death, I had completely lost my ability to coax things to life. Where once before I could have helped my mother, I could do so no more. I was distraught. I had traded my powers at the worst time”

“But uncle Laufey reassured me that all was not lost yet. He and Menja had talked and decided that they had no choice but to bring the Casket to Asgard. They hoped that the Casket could help restore the broken channels of sedir and help my mother recover. They wasted no time and retrieved the Casket from the inner sanctuary of the temple in Jotunheim. Uncle Laufey told Odin that the Casket cannot be separated from Jotunheim for too long. The time when it was used to draw excess power from Jotunheim’s ley lines was drawing closer. The Casket had to be replaced in the inner sanctuary before that.”

“Mother was placed with the Casket. I could see her thread reach out to the Casket. And a thread come out from the Casket to her. But the minute they touched mother screamed in pain. Whatever damaged her channels had burned them. The wounds were raw and the Casket was not able to connect to mother. Frigga was also a fertility goddess. She was a very well versed healer. She tried to repair mother’s channels but most healers themselves use sedir and with her channels damaged mother’s body refused to accept the healing magic. Frigga then tired to restore my previous power but the reworked channels could not be reverted”

“What worried me was how my mother's health deteriorated so quickly. Odin then came and said that Skoll had visited him when I was with Dykn. He said mother’s channels were burned and he suspected that Skoll was behind this. I was worried, anxious and doubt creeped in my mind. I commanded Brunnhilde to fetch Dykn. I sat by mother’s side, watching her thread become more and more frayed. Brunnhilde came and reported that Dykn was nowhere to be found. She said that her house was empty cleared of all things. I was now furious. Uncle Laufey came and said he needed to take the Casket back. The time to release excess power from Jotunheim was approaching and he could not keep the Casket in Asgard anymore.”

“He left with Menja, leaving the commander of Jotunheim’s armies Thyrm behind saying that he would be back once the Casket was returned to the inner sanctuary. When Odin learned of Dykn’s disappearance he called for Heimdall. He had Heimdall search for her. And also sent a message to Skoll demanding him to come to Asgard immediately. Skoll did come. When he learned of mother’s condition he denied all accusations. He said he had only come to sign a treaty with Asgard which he did and then returned.”

“Calen had also sent Freyr from Vanaheim and King Aldon also came to see mother. Odin accused Skoll saying that he had poisoned mother in revenge over his father Sutur’s death. He commanded the Einherjar to arrest Skoll. Skoll of course resisted. In my anger I pulled at his thread of life, snapping it. He died immediately. Freyr, Frigga and Aldon all looked at me in fear. I could still feel Skoll’s soul. It was descending to Helheim. I took hold of it and snuffed it out like blowing out a candle. Odin declared that Skoll trying to escape was proof that he was the culprit and that I had rightfully taken his life.”

“I could see that neither Freyr nor Frigga agreed with this declaration. But they didn’t say anything. Aldon agreed with Odin. Freyr requested that he be allowed to leave with Frigga and go back to Vanaheim. Thyrm came at the same time. Seeing Skoll dead and Freyr and Frigga looking fearful. He had been watching over mother and reported that her condition was worsening. We all rushed to her. Mother was struggling to breathe. Her channels were now stumps. Like a cut off limb. She was now completely cut off from Yggdrasil”

“Frigga once again tried to heal her but she was completely unresponsive. We could only watch as she died. On her death I expected to see her soul ascend to Vahalla or descend to Helheim but it seems there was another spell on her. It activated the minute she died and before I could react it burned her soul as well. My mother was now gone from the universe. I would never see her again. She…”

Hela broke off crying unable to continue. Loki got up and knelt beside her hugging her. He was crying too. He could understand there was nothing more that he regretted then telling the Kursed to go left. If he could take it back. If he could trade his life for Frigga’s he would. At least Loki had the reassurance that Frigga was in Vahalla. Hela did not have even that. Laufey came and put his arms around them both. They stayed like that for sometime. Hela pulled away wiping her tears hurriedly. Loki sat back down in front of her.

“After mother’s death, Freyr and Frigga went back home. Odin refused to give her body to uncle Laufey and she was given a funeral like the rest of the Aesir. Dykn was still missing and even Heimdall was unable to find her. I was still angry. I wanted revenge. But Skoll was already dead. Odin came to me. He told me he feared that the fire demons would once again attack us. He said they craved war and were a threat to Asgard and the other realms. He said that it was time we crushed the fire demons once and for all. Solved the problem before it became a problem”

“I...I was so so angry. I agreed. Uncle Laufey protested against this. He said I was letting my grief overpower my judgement. Skoll was dead. He was the culprit. There was no need to punish the people of Muspelheim for it. I refused to listen and left for Muspelheim. I lead the charge against them with the Valkyries. I ripped out all threads of life, burned all souls in Muspelheim. By the time I was done all that was left in Muspelheim was rocks and stones. Odin was pleased. He declared that from that day Muspelheim was Asgardian territory. It was no longer an independent kingdom. There wasn’t much left to rule over. All the people, animals, all of them were gone. At least that was what I thought at the time.”

“I came back to Asgard. But I felt empty. I had killed all in Muspelheim but it couldn’t bring my mother back. Vanaheim and Alfheim were strangely silent. Not many visitors came from there. Odin was commissioning a new mural for the throne room. He had all the wealth found in Sutur’s palace brought to Asgard and stored in a different vault at the other end of the palace. He had also found a lot of whispering iron and he called Etri to Asgard. He wanted Etri to use the whispering iron and fashion a relic for him. He wanted it to have the same ability to see the realms as Heimdall could. Etri requested that Heimdall be allowed to go with him to Nidavellir so that Etri could study his powers and see if it was possible to fashion a relic like that. Odin allowed it. He also set Ve as a ruler in Muspelheim.”

“Uncle Laufey came to me. He was not happy. He felt the attack against Muspelheim was wrong as was me using my powers to murder in blind rage. He said my mother would never have wanted this. We argued and I couldn’t understand why he was defending the fire demons when they had taken mother from us. I told him to leave and not come back again. He left defeated. Now news reached us that King Aldon had passed away. His son Vuco succeeded him as King. In Vanaheim, Calen stepped down from the throne and gave it to his son Freyr. Freya and Freyr married. We went to their wedding feast.”

“Vuco had also been invited to the feast. The elves and the vanir that spoke to me were very careful in their words. They gave me a wide berth. The conversations were stilted and awkward. Uncle Laufey had also come to the feast with Farbauti, but I refused to even look at him. After the feast Odin requested Freyr that he be allowed to borrow some books from Vanaheim’s library. He took some of their genealogy books. The ones that had records of the bloodlines. Freyr looked like he wanted to protest but then he let it go as he had already given permission to Odin. We came back. I reached out to uncle Laufey and apologized. I started visiting Jotunheim more after that. Odin was busy studying the books he had brought with him and left me to my devices”

“I took Brunnhilde with me. She was half Jotun as well and was more than happy to accompany me. During this time I met another Jotun, Madr. Madr was one of the commanders in the army. We became close. He helped me train Fenrir for battle and also showed Brunnhilde some tactics that the Jotun used. Odin sent a message that Etri had completed the relic he had requested for and he wanted me to be there when it was presented. I had Madr come with me. Heimdall had also returned. Etri presented the relic he had made.”

“He called it Hlidskjalf. Odin had it placed in the throne room and overlaid with gold. It allowed Odin to see past the barriers of the realms. Madr and Brunnhilde both expressed to me that the relic made them uncomfortable. But I brushed it off saying it was just a precaution so that no surprise attacks could occur. Frigga often visited me. She helped me to understand my new powers better”

“We realized that I had a direct connection to Helheim. Frigga suspected that I could command all the souls there if I wanted to.Odin was always eager to have Frigga in Asgard. He would often request her to stay over. She became a regular at our family dinners. One day I was strolling in the gardens after one such dinner. I heard some noises. They were coming from Odin’s study. It looked like he was arguing with someone. I went to see what the matter was”

“When I was in the hallway, Frigga rushed past me, nearly knocking me over in her hurry. She was rubbing her wrist in pain. I asked her what the matter was but she said it was nothing. Just a misunderstanding. I shrugged it off. The next morning I learned that Frigga had left that very night. Odin was also not in a good mood. A few days later we received the news that King Vuco was going to marry Frigga. We had been invited to the wedding.”

“I was happy for her. Frigga had been a good friend and mentor to me. But Odin did not seem happy at the news at all. He was very short tempered. Yelled at all the servants for the smallest of things.” Hela shook her head, “I should have seen the signs. But I was blind. His behaviour felt off to both Madr and Brunnhilde too. Madr pointed out that the change had come when news of Frigga’s marriage had reached us. I told him he was being paranoid. Odin thought of Frigga as a friend only. Nothing more.”

“Uncle Laufey also came from Jotunheim. He too had received news of Frigga’s marriage and we all went together to Alfheim where the wedding was to take place. At the wedding feast, most elves and vanir gave me a wide berth. Odin was still in a bad mood and kept drinking wine. By the time Vuco stood to give a speech. Odin was well and truly drunk.”

“Vuco thanked everyone who had come to the feast. He especially thanked Odin and expressed gratitude for the soldiers that stayed in Alfheim. But he wanted Odin to take the soldiers back. He said that Vili would always have a place in Alfheim’s council and it was proof enough of the bond between our Kingdoms. Vuco wanted Alfheim to develop its own army.”

“Odin was furious. He called Vuco and all other elves cowards. He said they did not have the strength to defend themselves and that Bor had done them a favor by giving soldiers to help protect them. He told Vuco that he should bow before him instead of insulting him. This made Vuco angry. He reminded Odin that he was the King of Alfheim and would not bow to anyone. He ordered Odin to leave immediately.”

“Vili had also come to us and pleaded with Odin to not create a scene. But Odin was drunk and did not have any control over his anger. He hurled Gungnir at Vuco’s head. Freyr stepped in at the last moment and managed to push Vuco out of the way. But his shoulder was injured in the process. Freya ordered the soldiers of Vanaheim who were at the feast to arrest Odin. But uncle Laufey intervened and managed to calm her. He and Vili convinced Odin to leave.”

“We all left and landed back on Asgard. Here Odin turned on uncle Laufey and yelled at him for intervening. He then stormed to the palace and shut himself in his study. I, Vili and Laufey tried to talk to him but he refused to let us in. I couldn’t understand why Odin was so angry. Maybe Vuco should have been more tactful while asking Odin to remove the Asgardian outpost. But still we had been at peace with them for many centuries, since before my birth. Alfheim was an independent kingdom. If its King did not want a foreign kingdom’s outpost then that was his right. There was nothing wrong with it”

“Uncle Laufey returned back to Jotunheim. Vili did not go back to Alfheim choosing to stay on Asgard to speak with Odin. I trained with the Valkyries as usual. I tried to contact Frigga but she did not respond. A few days later, Odin came to me. His hair was in disarray and his eyes had shadows under them like he hadn’t slept in a long time. He said he had made a disturbing discovery.”

“He took me to the throne room to Hlidskjalf. He said, he had been watching Alfheim as Vuco trying to remove the Asgardian outpost seemed suspicious to him. He said he saw some elves smuggling things to the outskirts of the main city in the mountains. He told that he had Heimdall keep strict watch over these mountains to see what the elves were up to. Heimdall reported that the elves had hidden some people in the mountains. Odin told me that these people were fire demons. Survivors of our attack on Muspelheim.”

“Odin told me that both Frigga and Vuco had betrayed us. They had used the secret paths to smuggle some of the fire demons to Alfheim and were helping them. I did not want to believe it. But Odin used the Hlidskjalf and showed me that indeed there were fire demons hidden in the mountains. I felt betrayed. I had thought Frigga was my friend. I wondered if this was why the elves and Vnir kept a distance from me at the feast. Odin said that Freyr and Vuco were planning together and that they wanted to attack Asgard and bring it under their rule.”

“Odin said that there was only one solution. We had to attack first. We needed to bring all of the nine realms under Asgard’s command. That was the only way our future generations would be able to live in peace. I was still hesitant. Odin had already begun preparations for war. But I secretly sent a message to Frigga. I wanted to talk to her. To hear from her mouth what she had to say about hiding fire demons in Alfheim. But I received no response. It would be many years later that I would realize that my message never reached her. But back then I took it as proof that Odin’s accusations were correct”

“Odin deployed two forces, the Valkyries and me to Vanaheim and the Einherjar and himself to Alfheim. When Uncle Laufey heard of this he immediately contacted me. I told him what Odin told me. But he did not want to believe it either. I asked him to join us in the war. But he refused. He said that it was a massacre not a war and he wanted peace for his kingdom. He pulled all Jotun from Asgard. Odin was angry at him and accused him of being a coward. But uncle Laufey stood his ground. I felt abandoned. I broke all ties with him again and refused to speak to him anymore. I’m so sorry I did that uncle. I….”

Hela looked at Laufey apologetically. Laufey shook his head. “No Hela. Don’t apologize. I should not have been so hasty to retreat. If I had kept some foothold on Asgard I could have prevented a lot of bloodshed. But I truly did not want war. I was also a little afraid of your power. Of what you could do. But I should not have left you alone with Odin….” Hela and Laufey looked at each other. Regret clear on their faces. Loki felt a little jealous of their bond. But shook it off. They had known each other for a long time. Hela continued her story.

“I suppose Odin had expected an easy victory. But Muspelheim had been caught completely off guard. They had never had the time to react. Alfheim and Vanaheim on the other hand were expecting an attack. They were prepared. Freyr and Frigga had the people retreat to the mountains. Here Freya cast an illusion that clouded Heimdall’s sight. He could not see where the soldiers and people were hidden. On Alfheim, Vuco used the forests to his advantage. The elves knew the forests like the back of their hands and raided Odin’s camp at night. It was also difficult to move the infantry in the thick forests and progress was slow”

“Alfheim and Vanaheim chipped away at us. I was still reluctant and did not want to use my powers on them. It went like that for many decades. We managed to set up camp in the majority of their territories. But there were no people there to rule over. They were all hiding in the mountains. Occasionally we would manage to get our hands on some of the people. Odin ‘questioned’ them but they were loyal to their kings and did not give anything away.”

“Odin was getting increasingly frustrated. Uncle Laufey still refused to help us. The soldiers were tired. Having been away for so long from home. Odin asked me to use my powers and kill all the trees in Alfheim. I kept trying to contact Frigga but had no success. In the end I gave in to Odin’s demands. I used my powers and all the trees on Alfheim became dried husks. The animals all died. Now even the Asgardian soldiers looked at me in fear. I did not like it. It made me feel like an outsider”

“I also discovered that I could summon souls from Helheim. They came up to the surface and entered the dead bodies. They became like zombies. They could animate corpses. And to ‘kill’ them one would have to push and send them back to Helheim. This could only be done using sedir only. The common soldiers were not able to fight them. Odin of course was just pleased to have an edge over the enemy.”

“With the main advantage of Alfheim gone. He managed to capture Vuco. He went back to Asgard taking him as a prisoner. Frigga was nowhere to be found. Then she came to me in my dreams. She was pregnant. She asked me what crime her people had committed that Odin sought to wipe them out. I told her she had betrayed us by sheltering fire demons though she knew they had murdered my mother.”

“Frigga said she only saved the women and children among them. She said they were innocent. They did not kill my mother. They didn’t deserve my wrath. But I did not want to listen to her. She begged me to reconsider this war. She said my mother would not have wanted this. She told me Odin’s intentions were not as righteous as I believed them to be. She was about to say more. But the dream was cut short as Brunnhilde woke me”

Loki was sure his jaw was open so wide that it was on the ground. But he couldn’t help it. Frigga had been married **and** pregnant before Odin married her. He now wondered what happened to her and Vuco’s child. Surely Odin would not have allowed it to live. Hela was still speaking and Loki tried to concentrate.

“She told me that Odin had executed Vuco under the accusation that he had harbored Asgard’s enemies and plotted against them. Now the elves had turned against us completely. Frigga now led them as queen. Odin had also sent orders that I was to use my powers and route out the Vanir. He was fed up with the delay. He also commanded me to spare Freyr and Freya and bring them to him instead. Brunnhilde was also hesitant to follow through with this order. I told her of Frigga's visit and she expressed that Odin’s reaction to Frigga and Vuco’s wedding still bothered her. But Odin was King. Brunnhilde had no choice but to obey him and despite my misgivings Frigga did confess to helping the fire demons. I saw it as proof that Odin was right and they were plotting against us.”

“Once again I used my powers and killed all the souls I could sense. This time I called up souls from Helheim and raised an army of undead. The vanir could not fight against them and it was indeed a massacre as uncle Laufey had feared. I killed everyone. Man, woman and child. I spared no one.”

Loki winced. He could not imagine such brutality. The memory of his own attack on Midgard as well as on Jotunheim haunted him. He wondered just how many innocent people had died by his hands.

“Many mages had died and the illusions Freya had put up also weakened. Heimdall was now able to locate them. Freyr and Freya were in a stronghold deep in the mountains. I wasted no time and attacked them along with the Valkyries. Freyr and Freya put up a good fight but in the end were captured. I looked for Frigga but she was not there either. The stronghold had underground tunnels that went underneath all of Vanaheim. I sent Freyr and Freya to Odin and stayed back to search for Frigga”

“I cast a spell to keep her from entering my dreams. I had heard all that I needed. I did not want to hear anymore. We searched the tunnels thoroughly but could not find Frigga. We did find some commoners hiding in the tunnels. I told them that if they bowed to Asgard’s rule I would spare them. I had them set up a camp and left the Valkyries incharge of them.”

“I went back to Asgard with Brunnhilde. When I came back I saw that Odin had raided Alfheim’s treasury just like he had done on Muspelheim. He had all the riches brought to Asgard and also had slaves who were laying gold over the walls and pillars of the palace. I came to the throne room and saw that Odin had finally placed a mural on the ceiling. It showed him and me ruling over the nine realms. All the other races bowing to us. The background was painted red. It made me uncomfortable”

“I asked the guards where Odin was. They told me he was in the dungeons. I went there and saw that Odin was ‘questioning’ Freyr and Freya. And that is to say he was torturing them. Freyr’s whole face was swollen. He had cuts and bruises all over his body. His hands were tied above his head using thick chains with runes carved on them to prevent him from using sedir. But really it was Freya’s condition that chilled me to my bones. She was on the floor. Lying in a heap. Blood poured from her stomach. Her clothes were torn. She was barely breathing. There was….there was something in front of her. A...a bloody lump of...what looked like flesh.”

Hela stopped here, shuddering. Her eyes far away as if she could still see Freya in front of her. “It...was so horrifying that it took me some time to understand what I was seeing. It….the lump of flesh...it was….it was Freya’s baby. She apparently had been pregnant too and Odin had...He had ripped her child out of her...I…” Hela’s eyes were wide. Her face filled with horror that Loki could feel mirrored on his own face.

“I was horrified. Odin hadn’t noticed me yet. He was asking Freyr to tell him where Frigga was. I backed away silently. Going back, hurrying out of the palace. I tried to reason with what I had seen. But there was no twisting it. Odin had been torturing Freyr and he had...he had killed Freya’s baby. An innocent child who had done nothing. I remembered what Frigga had told me that she had saved only the women and children from Muspelheim. That they hadn’t deserved my wrath. I understood what she meant now. I looked at the mural in the throne room again. Painted blood red. Uncle Laufey was right, this was not what my mother would have wanted.”

“She always wanted me to use my powers for good. But I had let revenge and anger poison me. I had let Odin blind me. I was no better than Sutur or Skoll. I left the palace unable to look at the mural anymore. In the streets I saw the slaves. They were elves and vanir. People who had only wanted peace. All Vuco had asked was that Odin let Alfheim be completely independent. All Frigga had done was save innocent people and we had attacked them like mad dogs.”

“I went back to Alfheim. I told Brunnhilde everything I had seen. She suggested we go to uncle Laufey for help. Due to me using my powers, Odin now controlled Alfheim, Muspelheim and majority of Vanaheim. Etri in an attempt to prevent war had come forward and pledged himself and his kingdom to Odin. Uncle Luafey had chosen to stay silent. Not pledging himself but not disrupting Odin invading other realms either. He was neutral. And as such Jotunheim was the only kingdom that was still independent. I told her to gather all the Valkyries. We decided to leave immediately”

“I was still collecting my things when I heard commotion in the camp. I went to see what it was and saw that it was Odin. He had Freyr bound, dragging him behind his horse on which he sat. He approached one of the Vanir elders in the camp. He said he had not come for any negotiations. He handed Freyr over and told the gathered people to send Frigga the message that if she wanted to see her sister alive then she should come to Asgard and surrender herself. He commanded the Valkyries and me to return with him to Asgard. I had no choice but to go. At the Bifrost he commanded Heimdall to keep watch and said that no one was to pass through. The Bifrost was closed till a response was sent from Frigga.”

“I followed Odin to the palace. Doubt crept on me every second. When I came to the throne room, I saw Freya bound by the throne. She was still unconscious, though someone had bandaged her wounds and given her different clothes. Odin was admiring the mural on the ceiling. I was disgusted. I couldn’t believe Odin could stoop so low as to purposely kill a child and then blackmail Frigga by keeping her sister hostage. I confronted Odin. I wanted to know why he was so obsessed with Frigga”

“He told me it was none of my concern and commanded me to go and keep watch over the slaves who were doing construction. But I wanted to know what it was that Odin wanted from Frigga. I refused to leave. He warned me that disobeying him would have bad consequences. He yelled at me to obey him. But I said I was the princess of Asgard not some common soldier he could just bend to his will. He told me that he would remove me from the royal house if I didn’t do as he said.”

“I was baffled by this behaviour. I told Odin he cannot remove me. We were related by blood and nothing could change that. He struck me across the face and said he could change anything if he wanted to. He asked me to leave again. I decided I had had enough. This bloodshed was not what my mother would have wanted and it was time I listened to all she had taught me and did the right thing. I said I was leaving but taking Freya with me. I went to free her but Odin pointed Gungnir at me.”

“He told me if I was to leave then I can but Freya would stay with him. Brunnhilde had also come in hearing Odin yelling. Freya was now somewhat awake. She took in the scene in front of her. I moved to free her again and Gungnir was now glowing as Odin pointed it at me. Freya shook her head, an indication to leave her there and flee. Brunnhilde also pulled at me and I reluctantly left the palace. I went outside and in the courtyard. I saw all the soldiers there looking at me warily”

“Brunnhilde pulled me aside and took me to her house. There the other Valkyrie commanders had also gathered. Brunnhilde told me that in the local inn, she and some of the other Valkyries heard the people talking of how my powers were cursed. It would seem Odin had instilled fear of my power in the people. My utter decimation of Alfheim and then Vanaheim did not help matters”

“I was at a loss as to what to do. Brunnhilde suggested again that we try and go to Jotunheim. But how Odin had closed the Bifrost. We were still contemplating what to do when we heard commotion outside. We saw Einherjar gathered outside. One of them opened a scroll and read an order from Odin for my arrest. Odin declared that I had tried to attack him and free the prisoner Freya and that this was treason and I was to be brought before him and tried for attempted patricide and regicide. I was furious. I refused to go with the Einherjar. In response they attacked me and the Valkyries with me. Fenrir bit the hand of the one who had read the scroll off.”

“But the Einherjar had come prepared. They shot Fenrir down with crossbows and also killed one of the Valkyries. Brunnhilde told me we should retreat. But where could we go? Odin had closed the Bifrost. The secret path to Nidavellir had been sealed long ago and I did not know of any other way outside of Asgard. So, I did the only thing I could think of. I used my connection to Helheim and pulled myself body and soul to the realm with the Valkyries. Once there I tried to find a path to Jotunheim to contact Laufey. I also removed the barrier on my dreams. I needed to talk to Frigga”

“I contacted her that night. She looked pale and sickly. Her eyes were bloodshot. I saw she was no longer pregnant. I asked her what happened to her child. She said that she had lost the baby.” 

Loki felt sorrow for this child that his mother had not been able to see. He wondered if this was why she was always so worried whenever he and Thor would go on hunts. If this was why she insisted that Loki just follow Odin and do as he said. Maybe she feared losing them too. Loki regretted how he had treated her now. It was obvious that Frigga herself was a victim of Odin’s abuse. And Loki had cast her away too. Maybe this was why the Norns doomed him to Helheim where he could never see her again.

“She asked me what I wanted now. She was angry at me understandably so. I was the reason her brother and sister had fallen in the hands of Odin. I was the reason Freya’s child was dead.I was also probably what led to her losing her own child. I begged her to forgive me. I had realized the error of my ways too late. I asked if there was anything I could do to help her. Frigga said that last time I had been unwilling to listen. She asked if I would listen now.”

“How could I say no? Frigga told me that my mother’s death always bothered her. Odin had put the blame on Skoll. But the spell used on my mother wasn’t something that could be done overnight. Besides, Skoll would have been watched all the time. Just how could he have gotten so close to the Queen to even cast such a spell? It bothered her”

“While Odin had been maniacally studying Vanaheim’s genealogy, Frigga had requested that she be allowed to look at some of the books from Muspelheim. Odin had agreed. Frigga had tried looking for a spell that had similar symptoms as those seen in my mother. She also talked to the survivors Freyr had hidden in the mountains.”

“From among them a fire demoness came forward and said that there was one ancient spell. It had been performed at a time before Sutur’s rule in worship to the Great Fire Demon Auroch. This spell was one of the darkest in Muspelheim. Used by mages who were completely entrenched in necromancy. The spell was used to transfer sedir from one person to another. It was banned because it required that the spell caster sacrifice the heart of the person whose sedir they wanted to gain. Frigga said she had told the fire demoness of the symptoms my mother had displayed.”

“The demoness had told her that in order to gain sedir the sacrifice’s sedir channels were cut off from Yggdrasil to prevent the sedir from returning to the world tree when the sacrifice was killed. The demoness called the symptoms a sign of the spell gone wrong. Frigga said that she feared Odin had tried to consume my mother’s sedir but failed. When mother’s illness became apparent, he put the blame on Skoll’s head. He had also purposely kept the news from me till Dykn had reworked my channels. Probably because he feared that if mother recovered his secret would come out”

“Frigga said Odin had held a funeral for Angrboda as per Aesir customs not because of sentiment but to hide the evidence of his crimes. I had seen how mercilessly Odin had killed Freya’s child but I still could not digest that he would do something like this. Kill his own wife and try to consume her power. Frigga could see the disbelief in me. She said there was only one thing she could not understand. I asked her what it was. She said she understood Odin blaming Skoll, but Dykn had disappeared and despite Heimdall and the Hlidskjalf no one was able to find her”

“Frigga said I needed to find Dykn. Maybe she could give us more insight. But I was stuck in Helheim and I was sure that by now Odin had spun even more lies about me. I realized that he had turned the people against. Instilling a fear for my powers and then on the other hand encouraging me to use them to their full destructive capacity. I was so angry. Odin had manipulated me. He used mother’s death to twist my emotions and used me to fulfill his dreams. I wanted revenge”

“Odin may have been the ruler of Asgard but I could control death. I had powers he could only dream of. I decided I would not stay silent. I couldn’t let Odin get away with this. I promised Frigga I would find Dykn and also free her sister. I ended the connection and then gathered the Valkyries still with me. We made a plan. The first thing we needed to do was cripple the Bifrost. I no longer had Mjolnir. It had been left behind in the rush to get out of Asgard. But I could create swords using the thick veins of power that flowed in Helheim.”

“I used my connection to Helheim to find Freya’s thread. She was on the brink of death and as such her thread came from Asgard to Helheim. I used it to make a path from Helheim to Asgard. I sent Brunnhilde after Heimdall. She was my most capable warrior. I myself decided to go after Odin. The rest of the Valkyries cleared a path for me. When I reached the palace it was strangely silent. I found Odin in the throne room. He was sitting comfortably on the throne polishing Gungnir. He did not look surprised to see me at all”

“I got the feeling that something was very wrong. Odin smiled at me. A mocking smile. He said I had always been easily swayed by my emotions. He blamed it on mother being too soft on me. He thanked me for telling him that Frigga was pregnant. He said he’ll deal with Vuco’s bastard just as he had dealt with Freya’s later”

Horror creeped on Loki’s face. Hela smiled ruefully. “Yes..I thought I had managed to contact Frigga but it had never been Frigga. It had been Odin all along. He tricked me into coming out of Helheim. Odin told me that this was not how he had wanted me to find out. I realized that it was true. Odin was the one who had killed my mother. I asked him why. Why kill mother? She had loved him. Odin laughed bitterly and said she had indeed loved him but he had never loved her.”

“He said that he had only taken what he should have always had. He said that it had always bothered him the ease with which the Jotun wielded sedir. He only wanted a piece of that power. He said that Bergelmir and Laufey were to blame. They had kept the Casket from him. So, he had to resort to other means. He said Angrboda had to go. She had become too demanding. She was also restricting me. Keeping me from my true potential”

“He said that it was no use now. Dykn was long dead. He had sacrificed the last piece of her heart that day when Frigga had left Asgard. She had indeed seen him perform the spell and had hurried leaving the same night. He said the spell renders the caster immobile for sometime as the sedir of the sacrifice is absorbed. That was why he hadn’t been able to stop her”

“He laughed and said Frigga married Vuco in the hope that it would protect her. But her siblings had made the mistake of giving refuge to the fire demons. He said it didn’t have to be like this. I could have continued to be his foremost weapon. But alas I proved to be my mother’s daughter. I told him I was his daughter to that he couldn’t do away with me so easily”

“But Odin said it didn’t matter. He could always have more children. I was not irreplaceable. He then shot something at me. It was a glowing red ruby. It was very hot. I felt it pull at my power core. It was burning my channels of sedir. I realized Odin was doing the spell to consume my sedir. He spoke as the ruby crippled me. He said he had found many other such spells on Muspelheim. Spells that could alter the mind and even contort memories of people.”

“He told me that was why Laufey had chosen to stay ‘neutral’. Odin had done a mind altering spell on him. I could feel myself growing weaker. With my third eye I saw my own thread fray. In a last attempt to get out of Odin’s clutches, I drew power from my connection to Helheim. My channels were raw and burned under the sedir flowing in them. Odin screamed at me to stop. I knew I had to retreat. I once again pulled at my connection to Helheim and a portal opened beneath me. It started pulling me to Helheim. Odin threw a long black chain at me and I could feel it be absorbed in my skin. I gathered my strength and managed to pull the ruby off me. I fell through the portal the last thing I saw before it closed was Odin’s triumphant face.”

“In Helheim, I tried to open another portal to Jotunheim, Vanaheim, any of the other realms. But every time I tried I could feel something squeeze at my power core restricting my sedir. I realized that the chain Odin had thrown at me was meant to bind my sedir. A part of my power is connected to Helheim and the chain could not bind it but I could only control Helheim and the souls within it. I could no longer sense the other souls. Not even the ones on the brink of death. I could see them after they had died but could not see the thread like before”

“Odin had bound my powers. One final victory. I was now trapped in Helheim. I tried to leave through the physical gate that exists at the border of Helheim but the gate only allows souls to pass through. I was here in both body and soul. I could not leave.” Hela sighed, “I have been here ever since. Through the souls that end up here, I gathered bits and pieces of information and realized that I have been forgotten. Uncle Laufey here told me Odin completely erased me from Asgard’s history along with the knowledge of his own lineage”

Loki turned to Laufey. “Did Odin really do a spell on you to get you to be neutral in the war. Hela didn’t know Odin had married Frigga so I suppose you are the one who is going to explain the next part”

Laufey nodded “Yes. Odin did do a spell on me. It was so subtle it took centuries to realize it was there…” Loki suddenly felt queasy. He put a hand on his mouth to stop himself from vomiting. Laufey and Hela looked at him worried. “Loki are you ok?” “Perhaps we should stop here uncle. This is too much for him to hear in one sitting” Loki opened his mouth to protest but a sharp pain went through his head. Hela gasped at the same time.

Loki felt dizzy. The ground was spinning. He felt cool hands on either side of his forehead. He opened his eyes. When had he closed them? Hela was leaning over him. When did Loki lie down? “Loki...Loki...focus.” Hela was saying something. But she was blurring. She pressed her hands harder on Loki’s head “Loki! Focus.” Loki blinked a few times to clear his vision. He pushed Hela’s hands off him and sat up.

Laufey was looking at him concerned. But Hela was looking at him in surprise. “Wha-” Loki cleared his throat. He was suddenly feeling very sad. He belatedly realized that the emotion was coming from outside. It was not his own. But was like an echo in Loki’s mind. He shook his head “What? What is it?”

Hela expression smoothed to one of interest. “Cousin. Can I ask you something?” Loki nodded still a little dazed “Did you ever create some relic. A spear? A sword? A dagger?” Loki shook his head. He never had much talent for fashioning weapons. “No? Perhaps something more personal. A locket? A ring?”

Loki thought about it. There was the ring he had made for Thor but it was probably in his room back on Asgard gathering dust. If Odin hadn’t burned all his things that is. “I did make a ring. For Thor. Just a protection charm. But I never got the chance to give it to him. Why?”

Hela raised one eyebrow. “And just how much protection did you try to stuff into the ring?” Loki’s cheeks heated. To be true he had used a part of his sedir to fashion the jewel on the ring. “Not much..” He tried to sound nonchalant. Hela wasn’t fooled one bit.

“Does not much include a part of your sedir?” Loki nodded reluctantly. “Maaaybe….why?” Hela sighed “Because dear cousin your little protection is not little at all. You didn’t use a part of your sedir, you also managed to scrape a chip off your soul. And the ring has clearly found the one it was fashioned for.”

No Loki thought that was impossible. The ring was in his room Thor would never go there. “No.” Hela said flatly. “Don’t argue. I told you I can sense souls. And right now I see a thread from your soul going up” Hela pointed to the sky “And another thread coming back down”. She pointed to Loki’s heart.

“You know what it means. It means your little protection charm had worked so brilliantly that now you have a mental bond with whomever it was meant for” Hela waved one hand at Loki _‘Well that was unexpected’_ Loki thought as Laufey looked at Hela with his jaw hanging open

TBC….

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be clear Odin gaslighted Hela from a very young age. He always played with her emotions. There is more to Odin suddenly turning on Hela (it wasn't just her trying to free Freya) But that part is something Laufey discovered. Also I realized that Odin cannot just trap Hela he would have to bind her powers. Seriously you don't just lock someone with powers over death and lose the key and say ok that is going to work. The black chain is more necromancy from Muspelheim. And we will learn about its effect on Hela more in later chapters. But its primary function is to bind her powers.  
> Also timeline wise Thor discovered the ring Loki made for him 3 months and 3 weeks after his death.  
> By this time Loki was awake in Helheim and listening to Hela and Laufey.  
> Also the mental bond has been manifesting to Thor as well he just hasn't realized it yet.


	14. The Black Castle (part 4)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“All this ugliness, all this pain so they can patch a hole in their own broken code” -Dr. Robert Ford_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again absolutely no connection to norse mythology at all  
> The quote in the summary captures Odin's motivations perfectly no other words needed

After discovering the accidental mental bond, Loki, Hela and Laufey had moved back to the dining room. Hela had examined the bond and determined that it linked Thor and Loki’s subconscious mind. Loki had sensed the bond only because it was part of his soul that had formed it and also because as a mage his third eye was keener than Thor’s. Thor most likely was unaware of the bond. Laufey didn’t like hearing Thor’s name. Most likely because the last time he had faced Thor, it had ended in disaster.

Loki didn’t even see the point of the bond. He was dead, what good was it now? Except to torture Loki by making him feel feedback from Thor’s emotions. Who apparently was perpetually sad if the echoes Loki had been feeling were anything to go on. Laufey was pacing muttering under his breath and Hela just looked bemused by it all.

Loki had other things on his mind. Hela was not in fact dead. She was trapped in Helheim. Loki had thought about the chain she had described. He often travelled the realms through the secret paths. It sounded familiar. Loki had heard about it before. But where? “This is ridiculous!” Laufey exclaimed suddenly. “Hela there must be some way to break the link to that boy” Loki frowned at Laufey’s tone.

Hela just raised one brow. “Of course uncle. Would you like me to rip the bond from Loki’s mind. He will turn into a vegetable but I suppose that’s ok with you” she said mockingly. Laufey looked like he was about to protest. “I want to hear more..” Loki interrupted them. Laufey turned to him. “I...You said Odin did a spell on you? I want to hear more.”

Laufey immediately sat down on a chair beside Loki. “Of course. Let’s continue…” He looked at Hela. She nodded. “As Hela said, I chose to be neutral during Odin’s conquest of the other realms. Now after Hela was trapped in Helheim, there came the time to release power from Jotunheim’s ley lines again. Menja was by now too old to perform the spell. Her daughter Jarnsaxa was too young. That left me. I was royal blood and as such after the high priestess the only one capable of doing this task.”

“The spell Odin had done altered not only my mind but also the minds of the other Jotun. How he managed to gain the power to do so, I discovered later. As I said to release power from the ley lines you need to connect to the Casket. The Casket is itself partially sentient. That is why it burns the others. Those who are not Jotun. When I linked my mind to the Casket, it was like someone had woken me from deep sleep. I suddenly felt more alert. Like some veil had been on me and was now lifted. The Casket reached the mind of every Jotun on Jotunheim through the ley lines and shook Odin’s spell off.”

“I released the excess power and left the temple. I immediately called Thrym and told him to establish communication with Asgard. I needed to talk to Odin and Hela. I had absolutely no idea what was happening. Jotunheim had been completely cut off from the rest of the Nine. Thrym came to me and said he was not able to use our usual channels of communication. I felt a strange sense of dread. I knew something was very wrong. Still I was weak from having used the Casket. Farbauti suggested that I rest and regain my strength before attempting contact with Asgard again”

“That night when I slept, Frigga contacted me in my dreams. She was wearing armor. She said she had been trying to contact me for many years. I was shocked. Frigga told me that Odin had killed Vuco. He had held Freyr captive and that Freya was still captive on Asgard. She said she had been trying to contact Hela but had been unsuccessful.”

“I couldn’t believe that so much time had passed. You see, the spell Odin did confused one’s perception of time. It was designed to lull a person into a sort of daze where they always feel content. Every time I thought of contacting someone on the outside the spell would activate and divert my mind. ‘Go check on the construction of the bridge first’ ‘See what those farmers wanted’ ‘Check on Farbauti’ little thoughts that would make me forget what I had been thinking”

“What baffled me was how Odin a half Jotun managed to do such a powerful spell. I said the same to Frigga. She said that before her wedding to Vuco, she had been on Asgard. She said that one night she was unable to sleep, so she had gone for a walk around the palace. While passing through the corridor to Odin’s study she heard some chanting. She had gone to see what it was”

“The door of Odin’s study had been slightly open. She said she found Odin, his back turned to the door. He had been by the fireplace putting something in the fire and chanting a spell. On his desk, Frigga had seen glass jars filled with various organs. She saw Odin pull out the thing he had put in the fire. It was a blackened burned piece of liver. She saw Odin grind it, mix it with some blood and drink it. As soon as he did, Frigga saw his eyes glow with power.”

Loki was disgusted. An expression mirrored on Hela and Laufey’s face. “Yes. That monster had been literally consuming people to increase his own power. At least back then. Frigga said she tried to leave quietly but accidently hit her hand on the door. Odin saw her and tried to go after her. But the spell he had cast was still filling him with sedir and he was not able to move. Frigga left Asgard in fear that very night. She was already set to marry Vuco. They loved each other. They decided to marry immediately so that Odin would not be able to request Frigga’s presence at the Asgardian court.”

“Alas Odin created a huge scene at her wedding. Frigga told me that since then Odin had been hunting her like a mad dog. She said he had become too powerful and also led Hela astray. Frigga said that she had tried to reason with Hela but Hela did not listen to her. Odin had been haunting Frigga’s dreams. Frigga said she used all of her power to keep her pregnancy from Odin. She said that Odin in her dreams told her that he wanted her to be his queen.”

“You see Odin studied the bloodlines of Vanaheim and discovered that Heimdall’s mother Ran had been a cousin of Frigga. He became convinced that a child born of him and Frigga would have powers as unique as Heimdall. That’s why he was so upset when he learned of Frigga’s marriage to Vuco. Odin wanted another child. Another weapon for him to use. He considered everyone a pawn, a stepping stone that  **he** could step on. I couldn’t believe how far Odin had fallen. I asked Frigga where she was so that I could come to her aid.”

“But she said it was too dangerous. Heimdall watched everyone, all the time. She asked me if I had tried to contact Asgard. I said that I had but had not been successful. Frigga told me that I had made a mistake. The communication was blocked by Odin. He would by now be alert that something was wrong. She told me I had to be clever. Odin must not realize his spell was no longer on me.”

“I then realized that Frigga had said she was pregnant. I asked her what happened to her child. She said that she had hidden her child somewhere no one would even think to look, in the care of a noble sorcerer. I wanted to know exactly where her child was. But she begged me to let her keep this secret until it was safe. So I let it go…” Laufey looked guilty.“It was never safe afterwards. I...I have no idea what happened to her child or if they are even alive.”

Loki wished so badly that there was some way to talk to Frigga. Some way to ask her about her lost child.

“Frigga told me she had been away from Alfheim, hiding from Odin till her child was born. But she was back there now. She said that Odin had tortured Freyr and he was severely wounded, in a coma now struggling to heal. She told me that the survivors on Vanaheim had surrendered. Now, Vanaheim, Muspelheim and Nidavellir were all under Asgard. But she suspected that something had happened because for weeks no one had come to Alfheim. Odin had called his soldiers back suddenly and then there had been no news of them. Hela had also retreated from Vanaheim and all the Valkyries were gone as well. Frigga was worried for Freya. She wept and said that before falling into a coma Freyr had told her that Odin had killed Freya’s child. Ripped it out of her womb.”

“I was horrified. Frigga was at her wits end. Her husband was dead. Her people were wounded and starving. Her brother was fighting for his life and her sister had lost her child and was in the hands of a mad man. Frigga said she was going to give in to Odin’s demands and go to Asgard. She said she was going to try to appeal to Odin to let her sister go and to stop this war. She did not see a way out. She was also afraid that if Odin found out about her child then he would kill them too”

“I told her it was too dangerous for her to go to Asgard. Odin might make her prisoner and kill all her people. I said that since I had already attempted to contact Asgard. I would pretend that I had done so in order to share the harvest with Asgard. Odin would surely agree to visit us to check on his spell. I could prepare the mages and have them attack Odin at once and subdue him. There was the threat of Hela ministerpreting this and attacking us. But I was confident that I could get her to listen to me. If something went wrong then still with Hela and Odin occupied with us Frigga would at the very least be able to get to Freya”

“Frigga agreed to try but she said that if she saw things going sideways she would revert back to her original plan. I agreed. I ended the connection. After I woke, I had Farbauti conjure an ice mist to cover Utgard. It would temporarily hide us from Heimdall. I called my council. I used the tunnels beneath Utgard and sent all the children to the mountains with Menja, so they would be safe. Menja was too old to fight, but she could weave spells that would allow the children to hide in the mountains for centuries if needed. Then I used the Casket and sealed all the tunnels, reshaping them so no one would know they had been there. I instructed all the people to be alert and keep a concealed weapon with them at all times.”

“As Frigga had suspected Odin contacted me that very day. He had changed his form to look completely Aesir. He appeared to me, a picture of despair. I was confused but went ahead with my plan. I smiled and told him that Jotunheim had had a very good harvest and that I was holding a feast to celebrate it. I invited him to the feast. He said it was not possible for him to come. The Bifrost had been damaged. This was unexpected”

“I asked him what happened. Odin shook his head in mock sadness and said that Hela had turned on him. He said she had gone mad with power, killing every living thing on Vanaheim and Alfheim even though he had only commanded her to capture Freyr and Freya and to spare the people. He said that she sent Freyr and Freya to him after torturing them, even killing Freya’s unborn child. He said that when he learned of her wrongdoings, he had her immediately called back to Asgard. Odin then looked at me with tears in his eyes and said that Hela had escaped with the Valkyries to Helheim when he tried to arrest her for these horrific crimes.”

“Odin told me that he tried to reason with her by communicating with her while she was in Helheim. But she planned an attack and with the Valkyries killed many of the soldiers and slaves as well. He said that she tried to kill him too but he managed to fire Gungnir at her. He then wept and told me that in trying to defend himself he had accidentally fired at her heart and that she had perished.”

“He said that Hela’s second in command Brunnhilde had tried to kill Heimdall and seize control of the Bifrost. In the resulting fight she had been thrown into the void and the Bifrost had been crippled. So Odin had not been able to communicate with me. Odin said that despite the atrocities she had committed he had given Hela the funeral she deserved and that she now rested with our ancestors.”

Loki clenched his fists. That bastard! He had shoved all of his own crimes on Hela’s head and tarnished her character. He caught Hela’s eyes and saw the fury in them. Loki could understand. He was sure that for the people of Asgard he was a monster who had plotted against Thor and had him cast out and then seized the throne. Odin always twisted the truth to suit himself.

“He said that all the Valkyries had been killed too. He looked sad. I knew he was lying about Hela. I knew that all the crimes had been committed by Odin himself. I was heartbroken to hear that Hela was no more. I wanted to punch Odin, to sink a knife in his heart, to cut off his lying tongue. But I remembered Frigga’s warning. I had to be clever. If I was killed too, who would seek justice for my niece? Who would unveil the truth? I did not have to fake the tears that came but I pretended to sympathize with Odin and comforted him.”

“Odin said that he had been in the middle of negotiations with Vuco when Hela had attacked and that she had also murdered him. Odin said that Frigga was under the wrong impression that all this had been done by him. He begged me to talk to her and convince her of his innocence. He said that he had sent Freyr back to Vanaheim but as Freya had been too weak to travel she was still on Asgard. Odin said that the Bifrost was almost repaired. He implored me to talk to Frigga and send her to Asgard. He said he had tried to communicate with her through dreams but she had not believed him”

“He said they could sort out their differences and put all the horror committed by Hela behind them and start anew. I pretended to agree. I had to talk to Frigga. Hela’s death changed things. Odin had also spun a tale and put all the blame on Hela. If we killed Odin now the people of Asgard would turn against us. Odin thanked me for my support and I told him to contact me once the Bifrost was repaired.”

“I called my council again. We were all shocked by Hela’s death. The council and I decided that we needed more information before we acted against Odin. We needed time. Time to figure out just which spell Odin was using to increase his power and how to counteract it. Frigga's description gave us a start but we needed to be very sure. I contacted Frigga again. Frigga was completely heartbroken when she heard of Hela’s death. We contemplated what to do”

“We needed some hold on Asgard. We were completely cut off and like this Odin held all the cards. Frigga….she decided that there was only one way out. She decided that she would go to Asgard and try and reason with Odin. Farbauti and I protested. We would find some other way, any other way. We would fight if needed. But Frigga had made up her mind. She said that she would ask Odin to let Freyr and Freya rule Vanaheim and put aside war for peace. She would do whatever Odin wanted in return. Farbauti and I did not want her to do this. But what other way was there. Frigga had lost her husband. Her child was hidden somewhere away from her. Her people were dying. Her kingdom was ruined.Her brother and sister’s life was hanging by a thread. She had no choice….”

Loki was going to peel Odin’s skin off his bones. He was going to pluck his remaining eye out and feed him to the dogs. He didn’t think he could hate Odin any more than he already did but he was wrong. There was always more hate to be found in his heart for Odin.

“I suppose obsession is a great motivator for within the week Odin managed to repair the Bifrost and contacted me. I told him that I had convinced Frigga to meet with him. Odin was overjoyed. I wanted to be there for the talk but Frigga said that it would only make Odin suspicious. She went alone to Asgard. I don’t know the details of what she asked of Odin. Only that in a day I received news that the war had ended as Frigga of Vanaheim had married Odin to bring peace to their realms. I and Farbauti were invited to the feast.”

“At the feast Frigga slipped a piece of paper in Farbauti’s hand. We read it later after coming back home. ‘Hela is alive, trapped’ was all it said. I can’t describe the relief I felt. Over the next few weeks, we received news that Freya would rule Vanaheim while Freyr was set as ruler over Alfheim as Vuco had no successor. He did. Have a successor that is. Vuco had a cousin. But he had been killed in the war. I tried to contact Frigga via dreams but was blocked.”

“I then tried to search for Hela. I sent some of my people to Asgard under the pretence of sharing the harvest. They asked around and I came to know that Odin had fed the same lie to the people of Asgard that he had told me. My people also said that the soldiers Odin claimed had been killed had been people who knew Hela well including her tutors. He was covering his tracks. All the Valkyries were indeed dead and Fenrir had also been killed. He kept the story that Hela had committed atrocities of her own free will. He had Vili and Ve demoted to the council. Took away most of their authority. They had become puppets. Odin was now in complete control of the government of Asgard”

“My people could not find any evidence of Hela on Asgard. I deduced that Odin must have hidden her somewhere else. A few years passed like this. Freyr recovered and settled in his role as King of Alfheim. Freya ruled Vanaheim and Odin set a fire demon Svol over Muspelheim. Etri had escaped the war by pledging to Odin and kept supplying him with weapons and tools. I searched for Hela but could not find her. There was little news of Frigga and I couldn’t establish contact with her. Slowly the realms healed from the war. Farbauti and I kept trying for a child but remained childless. Menja passed away and Elhaym was set as high priest till Jarnsaxa was capable enough to handle the duties herself.”

“Time passed. I sent less and less people to Asgard. The once strong bond between Jotunheim and Asgard was no more. There were no more half Jotun children. Most were only quarter Jotun or had some distant Jotun relatives. Fewer and fewer children were born with Jotun traits. The few people I sent to Asgard reported that Odin had decided to disavow Hela as his child. He claimed that it was the punishment for her crimes that she be removed from the royal family’s records. The history books only said that there was war and Odin had brought peace. The details had been purposely kept vague. Then I heard news that Frigga and Odin were going to have a child.”

Laufey looked at Hela. Hela spoke. “After being trapped in Helheim, I wandered for many days. I was weak. Odin had tried to suck my sedir and the wound from the ruby was still raw. It was not healing as fast as it normally would. I could sense souls on Helheim but I could not see anyone. The bubbles kept me from seeing the souls, weak as I was. I tried to pull the chain off but it was no use. I tried to open a portal but it failed. I tried to contact uncle Laufey, aunt Farbauti anyone but was blocked by that blasted chain…”

Hela looked exhausted. “After walking for many days tired unable to heal I fell unconscious on the ground. To Helheim I was an anomaly, a soul with a body technically still alive yet in the realm of the dead. Connected to the realm but unable to access the connection properly. A walking contradiction. Still Helheim’s connection to me was not as affected by Odin’s charm as the rest of my sedir. When I fell unconscious, my subconscious mind turned to the only source available. The ley lines of Helheim.”

“They were filled with power. Odin’s charm was designed to block me from using sedir. But the connection to Helheim gave me access to the power of Yggdrasil. It was more powerful than the charm. The connection was weakened but not gone. Slowly power trickled in me. The charm tried to bind the new power but this was raw sedir coming from the deepest darkest root of Yggdrasil. The chain strained, struggling to maintain its hold on me. It cracked in several places.” Hela rolled up her sleeves to her elbows. Loki could see a tattoo of a thick black chain covering her arms. The links were broken in several places. The tattoo glowed slightly

“When the chain cracked I came back to consciousness. I realized that I needed to absorb power rather than trying to use the existing power that I had. This process was slow. I could only absorb so much power at a time. The connection slowly strengthened again. I also discovered that the chain had some sort of link to Odin’s power. On some days it was easy to chip away at it, on others I would be rendered motionless as the chain tried to bind my powers. My connection to Helheim became so deep that I could feel all the ley lines as if they were alive”

“I was also now able to see the souls. Slowly, I learned that Helheim had bubbles of reality and that in these bubbles the souls lived peacefully. With my connection to Helheim I sensed a place of power. I could now open portals within Helheim as I could draw power from the ley lines. The chain still prevents me from opening portals outside. I went to the place I had sensed and found this” Hela motioned to the palace.

Loki was confused, “You mean to say all this. This castle, the grounds surrounding it were already here?”

Hela nodded, “Yes. They were already here. I went inside and at my touch it was as if the whole castle woke up. This castle is the throne of Helheim. I had absorbed the core of Helheim’s sedir when I first came here. The throne recognized this and welcomed me as the ruler of this realm. This is Helheim’s center. The epicenter of the ley lines. The place where they all connect. From here I could absorb even more power”

“Eventually I sensed the chain weaken. I did not know it. But it was Odin. It was time for him to consume someone else or lose the power he had gained. The days up to the ritual is when Odin was the weakest. As a result I managed to break one of the links in the chain. When the link broke, I gained the power to reshape the bubbles in Helheim. I spent time learning about Helheim as much as I could. I now tried a different approach. I knew Odin was linked to the chain in some way. So I tried to follow that connection and see if I could use it to escape Helheim. I couldn’t. But I was able to astral project myself to Odin.”

“I saw him in a chamber that I had never seen before. He was bent over a book. The room was filled with shelves going from the bottom to the ceiling. There were bottles of potions and other things on the shelves. One of the shelves had jars with organs in them. I also saw a skeleton in one corner. When I went to look at it, Odin sensed me. He turned and saw that I was there in spirit form. He had a mocking smile on his face again”

“He asked me how Helheim was that time of the year. I said nothing. I could tell he was surprised to see me. He said that he did not know how I had managed to project myself but it was of no use. I was never getting out of Helheim. He said that a part of his plan had already succeeded. He said he was going to have another child and that he was not going to make the same mistake that he made with me. He said that this child would not be as soft hearted as I was, he would make sure of it.”

Loki shifted. He knew Odin was talking about Thor. He had wanted Thor to be another weapon. A weapon that followed him blindly. He shuddered at how close Thor had come to becoming this. 

“I couldn’t stay silent then. I told him he had failed. His sedir was failing and that I was going to get out and when I did I would have justice for all that he had done. Odin laughed and told me not to mistake a temporary lapse as failure. He said that he had found a permanent solution. A solution that would fix his sedir defect forever. He said that the Jotun had made him feel inferior all his life. That they had kept their source of power from Odin and had wronged him. He said he was going to teach them a lesson that would remind them who was greater. A lesson that would be remembered for generations. Odin then cast a spell to expel unwanted spirits. I was flung back to Helheim”

“Now, I knew that Odin was going to do something terrible. He was going to ravage Jotunheim. I needed to warn uncle Laufey. But how, I could not contact anyone on the outside. I spent many days trying and trying but found no success. Then one day I sensed a strange energy. I followed it and to my surprise it was Frigga’s soul. I could tell she was not dead yet, but she was dying. When she saw me she smiled sadly.”

“I asked her what happened to her. She said a monster had found her and used her and this was the result. I did not understand what she was saying. I could see Frigga’s thread fraying. But it still had strength in it. It was not gone completely. It was looking for power to repair itself. Frigga was not fighting to live, so the thread was fraying. I told her she couldn’t give up. I asked her what had happened to her child. But she said it didn’t matter. Odin was never going to let her raise her child in peace.”

“I told her I would help. She asked me how. I had no answer. But still, I told her that she had to live if not for herself then for her child. She had to be there for them. To keep them safe from Odin. I told her that her child still had a chance. Even Odin could not live forever. One day he would perish. If Frigga gave up now, her child would not see that day. I could no longer repair life as I could before. But I could draw power from Helheim. So I did. I drew power from Helheim and pushed it into Frigga’s fraying thread. The thread repaired itself. She faded. I had managed to push her back in to the land of the living”

Hela grew silent, remembering the utter defeat on Frigga’s face. Laufey continued the story. “A few months after the news of Frigga’s pregnancy, I received news that she had given birth to a boy. But during labour Frigga had lost a lot of blood and rumor was that she might perish. During Frigga’s pregnancy, Freyr managed to contact me. He said that Odin had let him and Freya go when Frigga agreed to marry him but that Frigga was as good as a prisoner on Asgard. He said that Odin did not allow Frigga to leave the palace and that the few times Freyr had managed to visit her it had been tense with Odin watching his every move. Freya was traumatised by the death of her child. Odin had not only killed her child but also ripped out her womb. She could never bear children again….”

Loki had always found it strange that Freyr and Freya had no children of their own. On Asgard, the people in the back alley inns joked that it was because Freyr was impotent. Loki wondered what they would say if they learned that it was because of their ‘gracious’ king Odin that Freyr and Freya remained childless.

“Freyr told me that of Vuco’s family there was only one member left. A child of Vuco’s cousin that Frigga had managed to hide. Freyr had the child brought to court as the son of one of his council members and was tutoring him. He planned to pass the throne to this child when he came of age. The people of Alfheim accepted Freyr. They knew Odin was the real enemy. At the moment they were too weak to fight back. But Freyr made sure that they knew the real truth about Hela. He secretly passed the information among the people. It was taught to the older children.”

“Freyr said that unlike the people of Asgard, the people of Alfheim were not going to forget so easily. They were only biding their time. Freyr told me that somehow Odin had known of Frigga’s pregnancy. But Frigga only said that she had miscarried. Odin tried to pursue the matter but Frigga stayed firm in this. Even Freyr didn’t know where this child was, only that they were not on Alfheim or Vanaheim. For he and Freya had done a census of the people that was how they had found the child of Vuco’s cousin. I told him that even I did not know where this child was. Frigga kept this knowledge to herself…”

Loki suspected where they could look for this child. The clues were there. He would need to think some more about it though.

“After this Odin contacted me. He said Frigga was growing weaker and that he feared that she was going to die. He wanted me to send Elhaym to examine her. I too feared for her life so I did as Odin asked. By that time Hela had managed to push Frigga back to the land of the living. Elhaym was still in her chamber with the other healers, when Frigga woke up. Elhaym rushed to make sure she was fine. And she whispered ‘in Helheim’ to him. Odin was happy to have Frigga back.”

“He made Elhaym stay on Asgard another week. During this time he questioned Elhaym on the Casket of Ancient Winters. Just how it worked. How the ritual to release power was done. Things like that. Elhaym did not want to give this information to Odin. But I instructed him to not analogize Odin. So he reluctantly told him all he could. Odin also brought his child to Elhaym so that Elhaym might assess what the child’s power could manifest as. Elhaym later told me that the child had inherited the gift over natural elements that most Jotun possessed. Though Odin chose not to train him like most normal mages, the child...Thor has power over the skies just like Hela had power over death and previously had power over life. He has a connection to Yggdrasil. One that could be used to draw immense power. A sign of his Jotun heritage.”

“Odin was very happy to learn this. He sent Elhaym back. Now Elhaym told me what Frigga had whispered to him. I thought it was just her muttering something in confusion. But Farbauti thought it was a message. She said that Hela was trapped but we could not find her anywhere. She was not on Asgard and certainly not on any of the other realms. But Odin had in his tale mentioned that she had previously escaped to Helheim. And now the first thing Frigga says after coming back from the brink of  **death** was ‘in Helheim’. She suspected that Odin had maybe trapped Hela in Helheim itself. The rest of the realms have no regular contact with it and no one would think to look there.”

“It was a possibility I had not considered before. Hela did have a unique connection to Helheim and it was possible that Odin used it to trap her there. I began searching for information on Helheim. I needed a way to go there without dying first. Now I still prayed for a child everyday. Me and Farbauti decided that this time we would use the Casket together for the ritual. Maybe as the Casket shook Odin’s spell off, it could heal whatever ailed us and kept us from having children. It would be difficult for Farbauti but I was sure that with me sharing the load we could do it. I was still searching for a way to enter Helheim without perishing when I remembered that my father had taught me that Midgard was the natural gateway to the nine realms. That it was the center of Yggdrasil and the realm that connected all other realms”

“I had all the mages look for more on this subject. If Midgard was a natural gateway then maybe it could be used to open up a way to Helheim. Odin and Frigga’s child whom Odin had named Thor was now celebrating his first century. I was of course invited to the feast. At the feast Odin pulled me aside and asked me about the Casket again. He said that he had been growing weaker of late and that he suspected that the same disease that had killed Angrboda was going to kill him too.”

“Odin wanted access to the Casket. He said that his sedir channels needed to be enhanced. And he wanted me to allow him to use the Casket for this. I reminded him that he was not just half Jotun, he was also half Aesir. The Casket might hurt him rather than help him. But Odin was adamant. He wanted the Casket. I refused. Odin became angry. He said that he had been very patient with me. That he treated me as a friend despite all Hela had done. I asked him what Hela’s behaviour had to do with Odin being my friend. Odin told me to not feign innocence. He said that it was obviously Angrboda’s teachings that Hela had out turned the way she had.”

“I was furious. Odin had already tarnished Hela’s name now he was slandering my sister’s. I told him to not speak like this of her. He accused me and the other Jotun of being selfish. He said that we had hoarded power and kept the Casket to ourselves not out of concern but out of greed. He said that we would be nothing but a cold people on a frozen rock If not for our association with Asgard. I told Odin to mind his tongue and not forget that the power he today had came from Bestla, a Jotun from a frozen rock. I decided to leave. Odin grabbed my arm and as I was angry my skin had turned to its natural defense. Odin’s hand burned. He screamed in pain and now all eyes were on us”

“He said that I was nothing. Just a blue skinned demon and who’s very touch was poisonous. I told him that he too shared blood with me, a blue skinned demon. Odin transformed fully to his Aesir form and told me not anymore. I left without looking back. That was when Asgard and Jotunheim truly separated. Odin encouraged all the people to disown their Jotun ancestors. He kept the Aesir form at all times. I stopped sending my people and cut all ties. From Freyr I heard how Odin was spreading stories about the Jotun in all the realms. Of how he claimed that we were a savage people and that it was us who had led Hela astray”

“I let it go. I didn’t care. Odin could keep his horrid views, I only wanted my niece back. I performed the ritual with Farbauti this time. We both experienced a surge in our sedir. We believed we had been healed. Elhaym and the other mages had scoured through the books and in one of my father’s journals found an elaborate sketch of the ley lines of Midgard and how they connected to every other realm. I believed that we could use this to access Helheim. I made up a small party consisting of me, Farbauti, Thyrm and some of my most trusted soldiers. I studied my father’s diagram and found the ley line connecting Jotunheim to Midgard. From here I used the Casket to connect to the line and reshaped it into a gateway.”

“We all went through and came upon a small island. It was inhabited by a small village of humans. At first the humans were afraid of us but I transformed to my Aesir form and slowly we formed a friendship with them. This island was a place of power. Ley lines criss crossed it. Farbauti taught some of the women healing arts. Elhaym taught the men to hunt better. I kept studying my father’s journal and looked for a place I could use to connect to Helheim. We even built a small mansion there. We had to leave it and I could not go back later. I wonder if some part of it still survives today…..”

Loki had always been told that the Jotun attacked Midgard. It was obviously another lie. He wondered if there was some village on Midgard that worshipped the Jotun like so many humans worshipped the Aesir.

“I almost had it. I was so so close. But then Farbauti fell ill one day. Elhaym examined her and we found she was pregnant. We were going to have a child! We were overjoyed. But it was short lived. Freyr contacted me that night and said that Heimdall had seen us on Midgard. The shields to hide from him were maintained by Farbauti. But due to her pregnancy they had weakened. Odin had declared that the Jotun were trying to seize the throne from him by unleashing Hela’s spirit from Helheim. Freyr said that Frigga had told him Odin was gathering his forces. All Freyr could do was warn me. I assured him that I didn’t hold it against him. I knew he feared that if he stepped out of line Frigga would meet the same end Angrboda did.”

“I immediately left with my people and Farbauti for Jotunheim. I knew what Odin wanted. He wanted the Casket. The war was not easy for Odin this time. We were not elves or vanir. We were Jotun.” Laufey smirked highlighting his sharp canines. “We were one with our realm and Odin struggled to gain foothold. Farbauti was now in the eight month of pregnancy. I sent her to the mountains where she would be safe. I had the Casket kept in the inner sanctuary and sealed it. The inner sanctuary is deep underground beneath the temple. It is surrounded by the palace and the city. To get there one has to get past the entire city of Utgard first Once sealed the energy the Casket gives is hidden and it cannot be tracked not even by Heimdall.”

But then...Odin did find the Casket….how? Laufey looked at Loki sadly. “The war was not going as Odin expected. He needed an edge. He did not have the sedir to fight our mages. I received news that Farbauti was in labour. It was too soon. She still had two whole months of pregnancy left. Elhaym was with her. He helped deliver you. He sent me the message that you were too weak. You needed the Casket…” Loki shook his head. No! No! Laufey could not have been so foolish to take such a big risk. No!

Laufey put his hands on Loki’s face. “You were born to me after 2000 years of wait. I had lost my sister and my niece. I couldn’t lose you Loki…” Loki wrenched himself from Laufey’s grasp and shook his head. No. He couldn’t bear to hear this. Laufey kept speaking.

“I opened the inner sanctuary and had you placed with the Casket under Elhaym’s care. That was the opportunity Heimdall needed. He saw that the Casket was still in Utgard. Odin instructed him to unleash the Bifrost on us. Within minutes the city was destroyed. The Asgardian army poured in killing all in their path. I immediately went to the temple with the mages but Odin had already reached there. The mages held back the Aesir soldiers, while I chased Odin. I caught up to him at the door separating the palace and the temple. We fought. Odin had reverted to his half Jotun form. Too caught up in the fight to keep up the Aesir form. I felt rage. He had no right to look like he was one of us. I cut off the eye that looked Jotun. Odin screamed in pain but then laughed maniacally”

“He told me that he had killed Angrboda. He said that he had found a wonderful little spell on Muspelheim that allowed him to gain power from others. He said that he got it wrong the first time. It was unfortunate that she had perished she would have made a good power source. He said he had found a better way. Her sacrifice would not be in vain. I was beyond angry. I attacked him but Odin used Mjolnir and struck me unconscious.”

“When I came to. I was in a chamber. Farbauti was sitting beside me distraught. I asked her where you were, but she was unresponsive. I went out of the chamber and saw that all around me were fallen buildings. I could see wounded people, taking shelter wherever possible. I found Thrym. I asked him what happened. He said the Bifrost had caused a chasm to form in the middle of Utgard. Thrym and most of the army had been trapped on the other side. While I, Odin and the mages were trapped on the side of the palace.”

“Thrym told me that Odin connected himself to the Casket and shook the very core of Jotunheim. There was a huge earthquake and a chunk of the planet had broken off. Millions were dead. Somehow, Thrym managed to terraform a bridge and cross the chasm. When he reached the gate of the palace, he saw the Bifrost hit the temple. Odin left by it with the Casket. Every Jotun felt it when Odin removed it from the inner sanctuary. Thrym said that when he went into the palace he found me unconscious. He had the soldiers carry me out. He went further to the temple and in the tunnel that led to the inner sanctuary, he saw that everything had been burnt.

“There were only ashes there. I asked him where you were. Where Elhaym was. He only looked down, unable to meet my eyes. I knew then. I knew..you had perished…” tears streamed down Laufey’s face. “My precious child. Born to me after so long was dead….”

Loki was crying too. So much blood shed. So much horror. It wasn’t fair. It wasn't fair that Odin got to live peacefully in his golden palace, the picture of benevolence while Laufey who had lost so much was labelled a monster. 

Laufey wiped his tears. “Without the Casket, it takes all of mine and Jarnsaxa’s sedir to keep the power in the ley lines from overpowering us. We were broken. The mountains had collapsed in the earthquake. Farbauti, Jarnsaxa and a handful of the children were all that had survived. When Odin connected himself to the Casket he tried to rip out all the ley lines that was what had caused the earthquake. He didn’t succeed of course. But now all secret paths were gone. Closed off by the severe reform of the planet. Or rather they had moved but I didn’t know that back then”

“Freyr contacted me after that. He told me Odin had placed the Casket in the vault. I didn’t care. Farbauti was like a statue too broken by your presumed death. She did not speak, barely ate, just stared blankly. So many others had also lost their children. So what if Odin had the Casket, I couldn’t fight him anymore. I had to help my people first. I focused my attention there. There was so much bitterness in the people for the Aesir. I did not discourage it. What could I say? Don’t hate the man who killed your children? Forgive the soldiers that plundered your houses? I let it be..I just...shut us off...hid...so I wouldn’t have to feel the pain of your loss….wouldn't have to think of the consequences of my failure...”

Laufey trailed off. They all sat in silence. Loki didn’t know what to say. All his life he had heard how noble Odin was and how monstrous the Jotun were. He knew now that it was all a lie. He labeled the Jotun as monstrous only because they did not bow to him. Only because they did not give him what he wanted.

Loki looked at Laufey who was staring at his hands. He had been told that the Jotun were unkind people. That they killed and plundered every chance they got. But the pain on Laufey’s face was as real as the pain on Frigga’s. They were the same. Laufey was no monster especially not because of how he looked. That was Odin’s low thinking. Him trying to justify his own weakness.

No this was not right. Odin could not get away with all he had done. People needed to see his real face. He had to be brought to justice. Loki felt another echo of sadness. The bond. Loki hadn’t seen the point of it before. But now. He knew what he had to do. Thor needed to hear the truth and Loki had a way to tell it to him.  _ ‘I promise you Odin I will not rest. Thor will see your real face. Asgard will see your real face. They will see it even if I have to come back to life for it. You will pay!” _

TBC….

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The basic gist of things is that Odin found a way to increase his own sedir by consuming other people's parts after offering them in a ritual that existed on Muspelheim. Frigga learned of this and ran away from Asgard like any sensible person. As for marrying Vuco. It's one thing to invite Princess Frigga the third child of Vanaheim's royal family. Another to invite Queen Frigga of Alfheim. And yes Odin is creep.  
> Also he's dictator. He took over the government of Asgard, then spread rumors about Hela. Killed anyone who protested. Made up his own history Then he provoked Laufey and repeated the process all over again.  
> Also disowning Hela means that Angrboda became a foot note in Asgard's history. Breaking ties with Laufey means Odin conveniently erased her completely.  
> Now obviously not everyone on Asgard agrees. But all the murder made them careful not to speak up. Like Freyr said biding time is better than being killed.  
> The bit about Frigga appearing in Helheim is her trying to kill herself post Thor's birth by just giving up. That's why she went to Helheim. She was basically committing suicide  
> Remember the interpretation of the war that Odin gives in beginning of Thor 1 is his point of view.  
> If there had been a huge war between Jotun and Aesir on Earth there would be some lore about it. Famous lore not obscure lore that could be hidden or is unpopular opinion.


	15. Puente Antiguo (part 3)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If the book Thor is reading feels too specific just roll with it. All will be revealed. *cackles in corner plotting*

‘ _Thor was sitting at a table in his mother’s garden. She was pouring tea for him. Loki was seated to his left, buttering a piece of bread. He was wearing a green tunic and trousers. His hair was longer than Thor remembered, curling at the ends. For some reason something about the whole scene felt off._

_“Hmm...of course it feels off,” Loki said from beside him, still buttering his bread. Mother sat back down, a smile on her face. “Remember to let your tea cool a little before drinking it Thor” She said in a careful tone looking at Thor’s chest rather than his face. “Mother?” Why was she speaking like Thor was a child?_

_Loki put his bread down on his plate. “It’s no use mother. The oaf likes burning his tongue” Loki said but his voice echoed. A much smaller voice speaking from behind. “Loki! don’t call your brother an oaf!” Mother chided._

_Thor felt like this had happened before. Mother poured some milk in her tea and stirred it humming to herself. Loki bit into his bread and chewed hurriedly. “It’s frustrating”, he said swallowing and biting into the bread again. Thor furrowed his brow. “What’s frustrating?” “You moron. You are frustrating” Thor was confused._

_Loki took another bite. “Eat slowly Loki. The bread isn’t going to run away” Mother stopped stirring and looked at Loki pointedly. “Sorry mother” the same small voice echoed behind Loki’s own voice again._

_Mother shook her head fondly and ruffled Loki’s hair. Loki smiled at her sadly. This time he picked a biscuit from one of the plates on the table. “You keep forgetting” Thor looked at Loki who was now smearing jam on his biscuit._

_“Forgetting?” Loki waved a hand. “Yes! Keep up Thor. Our time is limited as is and I have a lot to say.” Loki dipped the biscuit in his tea and bit into it happily. Thor pulled a face. He always found that particular habit gross. Who dips jam covered biscuits in tea?_

_“If you can eat an entire deer on your own. I can put jam covered biscuits in my tea” Loki pointed at Thor with the half bitten biscuit. “But that’s not the discussion we’re having” Thor saw that some of the plates on the table were now black and white. Like someone had stolen their color._

_“See now we are running out of time again” Loki pointed to the plates. More of them were monochromatic now. “We can’t keep doing this Thor” Thor had no clue what Loki was going on about. What couldn’t they keep doing?_

_“You! You and your blasted memories! We can’t keep getting sucked into them!” Memories? They were in a memory? Loki banged his hand on the table bringing Thor’s attention to him._

_“We need to figure this out! All you need to do is remember. How hard can it be?!” Loki looked like he was about to stab Thor. Thor leaned away from him. Loki sighed. “Honestly, this was not what was supposed to happen.”_

_He looked at Thor, his gaze softening. Loki fingered the ring on Thor’s hand. The one he had found in Loki’s room. “I didn’t think you’d find it. The ring. I made it a long time ago. I wanted to give it to you the day Odin announced you were going to be his successor.”_

_That had been 3 decades ago. Loki had kept the ring for that long? “I knew Odin would pick you even back then I knew I was never going to be worthy in his eyes” Thor opened his mouth to protest. It didn’t matter what Odin thought but Loki shook his head._

_“No. Let me speak. Time is running away from us.” Loki pointed to the table. The entire tea set was now black and white. “And you. You were so eager to rush into danger back then. And far too trusting of people. I just….I just wanted you to have some protection. What would I do if my stupid oaf of a brother was killed because he accidentally drank poison?”_

_Loki shook his head fondly. He seemed calm, serene. Like he had made peace with himself. Loki looked at something behind Thor. Thor tried to turn and see what he was looking at but Loki stopped him. Putting a hand on his arm. “No. It's nothing. Look at me.”_

_Thor stopped midway and looked at him. Loki tightened the grip on his arm. “The ring is more than just a charm Thor. It seems to have made a connection between your mind and mine.” Thor wanted to protest that Loki was dead. Come to think of it, this couldn’t be Loki. Loki was_ **_dead._ ** _He couldn’t talk to Thor. This was just Thor’s mind showing him what he wanted_

_A ripping sound echoed and Loki groaned. “Not again! I was finally getting somewhere!” This time Thor did turn. He saw a black hole in the middle of the garden. Some black substance poured out from it and was beginning to spread and covered the ground inching towards them. Thor looked at their mother but she wasn’t there anymore._

_Thor turned back to Loki. He looked a little desperate now. “Look Thor I know that you think I’m just a figment of your own imagination. But I’m not. I’m here. I’m talking to you. No! please listen. Souls are capable of communicating from beyond the world of the living. Please remember this! You keep pulling us into your memories. I_ **_am_ ** _real. I’m not a memory. Stop thinking of me like that. It’s influencing the connection._ **_Remember this_ ** _. We need to stop getting sucked in your memories. Remember what mother taught about dream communication! For Norns’ sake Thor remember!”_

 _The entire garden was now covered with the black substance except for the table, Loki and Thor. Loki looked at Thor, his eyes narrowed. “I swear Thor you better figure this out! Or next time I’ll take us into one of_ **_my_ ** _memories of the void. Trust me you won’t like it! Now it's time to get up”_

_Loki pulled a dagger from thin air and plunged it in Thor’s heart before Thor could react. Thor’s vision blurred and everything went dark’_

Thor woke with a gasp. He was on his bed, in his room in Jane’s house. He frantically ran his hands over his chest. What had he been dreaming about again? Thor tried to recall the dream. But all he could remember was the word remember and Loki saying he was real. How odd! A knock interrupted Thor’s thoughts. “Thor? Are you awake?” It was Jane. After their conversation, Jane had been around the house more. Bringing her work home instead of spending hours in the lab. Thor was grateful for the company. He had been feeling very lonely.

“Ye-” Thor cleared his throat. “Yes. Jane I’m awake” “Ok. Well I just wanted to tell you that Erik’s package came..” Thor was off the bed and opening the door to a startled Jane in less than a second. Jane looked up at him. “Um...yeah I received the package a few minutes ago. I was leaving for work. I thought I’d let you know” Thor smiled broadly “Thank you Jane! Is it in the living room?” He pushed past Jane and practically flew downstairs.

Jane chuckled “Yeah. Please be careful when you open it. Erik said the book was old. He called in a lot of favors to get it here.” Thor was already at the bottom of the stairs. “Yes! Of course! Send my thanks to Erik!” Thor picked up a brown package that was on the center table and sat on the couch. He turned it around trying to figure out how to open it.

Jane looked at him bemused. “Need some help?” Thor looked at her sheepishly. “Yes. If you don’t mind…..” Jane shook her head at him fondly. She was always amused at Thor’s attempts to figure out how things worked on Midgard. Jane fetched a knife from the kitchen and inserted it in one end of the box pulling downwards. “See the flaps are closed with tape.” Thor could see it now. Jane pulled the flaps open and pulled yet another package. This one was covered in what Thor recognized as plastic with strange raised bumps.

“It's bubble wrap,” Jane explained, pressing one of the bumps. A pop sounded and Thor realized the tiny bumps were filled with air. He pressed one between his thumb and forefinger. Pop! Jane laughed, “Yeah I used to love popping these when I was a kid” Jane unwrapped the bubble wrap and put the book on the table. Erik had sent it from Norway.

Thor had been searching for myths on the internet. But Jane said that if they wanted some truly authentic information then the internet was not the best place. She reached out to Erik and asked him if he knew any experts on Norse Mythology. Not just the commonly known myths but experts who knew about the less popular myths as well. Erik had searched and found a historian Lucas Dahl who was said to be an expert on Norse Mythology.

Erik had sent one of the books Lucas owned. It had apparently belonged to his grandfather who was also a historian. The book drew inspiration from the poetic and prose Edda of Iceland and explained in detail the myths surrounding the frost giants and other races in the realms. It also documented evidence found on Midgard that were believed to be left behind by these races. Lucas did not want to send the book but Erik managed to convince him. Thor had been looking forward to this the entire week.

Thor carefully picked it up. The book was hard bound and the pages had yellowed with age. ‘The Nine Worlds by Professor Henry Dahl’ the title read. Thor opened the book and looked at the Contents page. Where to begin? “Well….I guess I better get going. I have a ton of stuff to do” Thor looked at Jane. She was wearing her jacket and Thor realized she had been on her way to the lab. “Yes..Yes of course Jane. I will be busy as well.” “Great! See you at dinner. I’m cooking!” Jane waved as she left, banging the door as she went.

Thor smiled after her. She was always in a hurry even though the lab was just two doors away. He turned back to the book. Thor shrugged. _‘Best to start from the beginning’_ He picked the chapter labeled Bloodlines of Jotunheim and turned to the page. The page had a detailed illustration depicting a family tree. Genealogy of the House of Ymir it read.

At the head was Ymir whose wife was unknown. Underneath Ymir’s name were the names Bergelmir and Bestla who were labeled as his children. Thor stopped. He brought the book up close to his face. Surely he had misread. But no. Under Ymir’s name were the names of Bergelmir and Bestla. But Bestla was the name of **Thor’s** grandmother. How was this possible? She hadn’t been related to the Jotun in any way. Perhaps there was a Jotun on Jotunheim named Bestla too. Yes. Thor reasoned it was possible.

Satisfied with himself, he moved on. Thor decided to read Bergelmir’s side of the tree first. Underneath Bergelmir’s name were again two names. Laufey and Angrboda. Thor didn’t know Laufey had had any siblings. The tree showed that Laufey was married to Farbauti. The tree went on to point to a box which said ‘it is unknown what the name of Laufey and Farbauti’s child is. The poetic Edda records that they had a child after praying to the One Above All but there is no account of what the child was named’ Thor felt sad. _‘Loki’s name should have been here’_ Thor wondered what Loki’s name would have been if he had grown up in Jotunheim. 

But something else caught his interest. The book said Laufey and Farbauti prayed to the One Above All. Thor realized that he had no idea if the Jotuns had a religion. He went back to the contents and searched the index. ‘A Brief Introduction of Norse Religions’ Aha! Thor noted the page and turned to it immediately. He skipped past the paragraphs describing the religious beliefs of Asgard and the other realms. He skipped to the one detailing the religion of Jotunheim. 

_‘The Jotuns are said to worship the One Above All. They believe that he created all worlds and universes and all beings in all universes, even the Norns that their golden counterparts in Asgard worshipped. The poetic Edda describes a great temple built in the honor of the One Above All in Utgard, the chief Jotun city. A high priest or priestess would perform a ritual every century. This ritual was said to involve the fabled relic called the Casket of Ancient Winters. Though the details of the ritual are unknown. There are no records of any other temples built to any other deities.’_

Thor frowned there was only one temple in the entire realm? And Thor thought the Casket was a weapon. Why use it in a ritual to the Gods? He was getting confused. _‘Maybe I should go back to the genealogy’_ Thor flipped the pages again. The book opened to an illustration. It covered the two whole pages of the book. One page showed an Aesir woman in armor with a heavy fur cloak and the other showed a female Jotun covered in fur. ‘Bestla, the Jotun sorceress’ were the words written beneath the picture. 

What surprised Thor was the picture of the Aesir woman. She had black hair and green eyes like Loki. In fact Thor was sure that if he put a picture of Loki beside the woman’s they would look like siblings. _‘Bestla’_ Both pictures were of Bestla? How was that possible? But then doubt creeped in his mind. Loki after all had looked Aesir for most of his life. Thor had never seen his Jotun form. But he had lived with Aesir skin for centuries. Loki was also a shapeshifter. Now that Thor knew he was Laufey’s son, he wondered if shapeshifting was a power all Jotun possessed. Or was it something exclusive to Laufey and his bloodline.

Thor looked at the picture of Bestla again. Was she and his grandmother the same woman? No. Surely not. How could something like this not be common knowledge. Surely Thor would have heard something if Odin’s mother, his grandmother had been Jotun. Thor tried to recall all that he had read about Bestla.

He hadn’t. Thor realized that the only thing about Bestla in the history books was that she was Bor’s wife. No description of how she looked. Where she came from. How Bor met her. Nothing at all. Thor shifted uncomfortable with the thought that Odin could have kept something this big from him. He decided to look up something else. Maybe he should look up the customs of the Jotunheim. It was interesting to know that they worshipped a different God than the rest of the realms. Thor wanted to know more.

Thor looked up the Chapter that was titled ‘Jotun Folklore’ He turned to it. Yes this was better. _‘The Jotun were very well versed in sedir. It is believed that they had a natural born connection to Yggdrasil. Powers over natural elements were common for them. The Jotun followed the custom of presenting their newborn child in the temple of the One Above All. The child was said to be kept in the temple for some time as the Jotun believed that the One Above All would bless the child and this would make the child more potent in sedir.’_

Wait, so it was common practice to leave children in the temple. Thor recalled that Jane had wondered the same thing. About whether or not Loki had been actually abandoned. But surely not. Who leaves a child alone in a temple? Thor read on. _‘The high-priest or priestess would stay with the child and pray for them’_ Thor felt like an idiot. Of course the temple would have priests. But then...why did Odin say Loki was all alone? Did the priests of the temple run away? Thor doubted that. Priests were usually dedicated people in his experience. A priest would not abandon his duty so easily

But that meant only one thing if there was a priest in the temple that day Odin must have either captured or killed them to get to Loki. That thought did not make Thor feel any better. Thor closed the book and placed it back on the table. This was not going how he had expected. Thor did want to learn more about Jotunheim. But...every word seemed to scream that Odin was a liar. It was getting harder and harder for Thor to ignore it. It felt like his whole life was a lie. Like every word he had ever heard from Odin now had a question mark in it.

 _‘Was this how Loki felt when he found out he was Jotun?’_ Thor can’t imagine how he managed to rule Asgard at all. Thor didn’t even feel like getting up from the couch. _‘Once again I underestimate your strength Loki’_ It was true. Thor might appear to be strong physically but Loki had always been stronger of the two of them. Loki handled all situations with a confidence that Thor envied. To him it always seemed like nothing could affect Loki.

 _‘Maybe I should do what I used to as a child’_ When Thor had been young and there was a particularly difficult book that his tutors had given him, he would skip through all the pictures first. Then he would get Loki to read the book to him. Loki was such a good reader. He could make the most boring book sound like an epic story. Thor turned the pages of the book. He saw illustrations of the Asgard or rather what the humans interpreted as Asgard. It wasn’t even close to the real thing. He saw drawings of various weapons. 

He stopped at another illustration. This one showed some ruins. _‘Ancient Jotun ruins found in Svalbard, Longyearbyen 1986’_ Jotun ruins? Thor turned the page and read _‘In 1986 while hiking in the mountains a few tourists accidentally discovered what was later believed to be ancient ruins left behind by the infamous frost giants also called Jotun. It was discovered by archeologists that this ruin used to be some kind of big house. What made researchers think it would have been inhabited by the Jotun were the unique utensils found in the ruins. All utensils were too big for average human hands and were made of some kind of crystal. In addition some knives and daggers were also found at the site. These were made of ice and an unidentified metal. When the utensils were examined it was found that they were fashioned from ice so clear that it was mistaken for crystal. Archeologists also found some letters written in a strange language buried deep in the ground. The ruins appeared to have become the victim of some fire. Oddly unlike the other people of Norway the people of Svalbard consider the Jotun to be a kind race. Some of them even worship Farbauti as an Ice Goddess who brings healing. All these evidences lead researchers to the belief that some Jotun had once lived here. The site is preserved by the Department of Archeology, History, Cultural Studies and Religion under the guidance of the Council of State of Norway. Researchers are still studying the letters found in the ruins. The language of these letters is yet to be deciphered’_

Now this was what Thor had been looking for! Actual real evidence. Thor needed to see these ruins for himself. And the letters too. Thor was confident that with the Allspeak he would be able to translate the language easily. Thor closed the book and hurried to his room. He quickly changed out of his sleep clothes and wore some jeans and pulled on a shirt. He rummaged through the bag he had brought from Asgard and pulled out a few gold coins from a secret compartment sewn in the bag. Jane had told him gold was rare on Midgard and was considered to be very valuable. Thor was sure he could exchange it for some of the ‘money’ of Midgard. He did not know how much he would need to ‘catch a ride’ as Jane said to Svalbard, Longyearbyen. But he was sure he could sort that part later.

Asgardian gold was the purest in the nine realms after all. Thor was sure a few coins would do the trick. He decided to leave his bag with Jane. It had some healing stones, some books from Asgard and the letter he had found in Loki’s room. On second thought Thor decided to take the letter with him too. He turned and saw Mjolnir in another corner. Thor hesitated. He didn’t really feel like taking it with him. But it was too dangerous to be left behind. Reluctantly Thor did a small spell and disguised it as an umbrella. With one last look Thor left the room and bounded down the stairs. 

He picked the book Erik had sent and put on his jacket. He hurried out the door making sure to lock it as Jane had taught him. He needed to tell Jane he was leaving. Thor walked down the street to Jane’s lab. He knocked on the door. “Jane? Are you there? It’s me Thor?” Thor heard some rustling and then Jane opened the door, her hair tied up in a messy ponytail. “Thor? What are you doing here?” She looked at the sky. “It’s still daytime right? I didn’t miss dinner did I?” 

Thor chuckled “Yes, Jane. It’s still daytime on the same day as you left” “Oh...Ok. So, what happened? Did you get scared of the toaster again?” Thor looked down blushing. “It happened one time! I did not know it was used to toast bread” Jane had found it hilarious and recorded Thor yelling like a little girl on her phone. Thor had yet to manage erasing that recording. For someone so small Jane was surprisingly nimble at getting away. Jane grinned. “Still funny though” Thor shook his head. “Can I come in?” “Oh! Yeah! come in”

Jane backed away from the door. He put the book on Jane's desk and opened it to the page that showed the ruin. “This was found in Svalbard, Longyearbyen” Jane tilted her head confused. “Ok…” Thor looked at her excitedly “It’s said to be a ruin left behind by Jotuns” Jane perked up “Oh!” She peered at the book “Yeah...it says here it was found in 1986” She looked at Thor again. “This is good news right? This is the kind of thing we were looking for” Thor nodded “Yes. The book says it is maintained by the Council of Norway. I want to go there and see it for myself”

“Uh...You mean right now?” Jane blinked at him. “Yes...the sooner I get there the better. Do you know from where I can ‘catch a ride’ to Svalbard, Longyearbyen?” Jane slapped her forehead. “No Thor. It's...it’s not that simple. This place…..Svalbard, Longyearbyen...it’s in Norway. We are in the USA. It's a different country. We can’t just go there.” Oh. Thor remembered Jane had said countries were like territories. To cross the border from one territory to another people had to take permission and follow certain rules. 

“People from the USA need residence or travel permits to go to Norway and then there’s this whole visa thing...I mean at the very least we need a passport. And you are from a different planet. Uh...I kinda don’t think we have any rules on how to grant permits to aliens.” Thor deflated. How was he supposed to get to the ruins now? Jane tried to encourage him. “No..don’t be upset. It’s just...we can’t go there immediately you know? We need to figure some things out first. Talk to some people. Unless you want to use the Bifrost? But I still think we would need to talk to someone in the Norewegian government before going to the site of the ruins. Don’t just want to show up there and start making demands. It gives a bad impression.” 

“Who do we need to talk to?” Jane furrowed her brow thinking. “Erik definitely. He knows people in the Norwegian government and someone from the USA government too. If we are not going by the Bifrost, then a plane is the next best option. But airports can be a nightmare. I’m pretty sure no one will let you take Mjolnir onboard.” Thor held up Mjolnir disguised as an umbrella. “Wait...is that?” Thor nodded, “A little something Loki taught me. I use it when I want to blend in. Mjolnir can be a bit ostentatious” “Yeah no kidding. We could also go to SHIELD….” Jane trailed off at the expression on Thor’s face.

“So...I guess you don’t like them much.” Thor sat down on a chair by Jane’s desk. He looked out the window. “No...It’s just that I don’t trust them. Do you know they wanted to tortue Loki for information? Back during the time he attacked the country named Germany” “Really?” Thor nodded, turning to look at Jane. “Yes...Fury asked me if I was prepared to do what was necessary” “Nece-Are you kidding me! The nerve of him! Ok no SHIELD at all.” “Thank you Jane.” “Don’t be silly Thor. I get that Loki didn’t come off as a good person especially back then but there’s never a good reason to torture someone. Period.” 

“But then who else could we contact within the USA?” Jane slapped her forehead again. “Oh!” She started rummaging around her desk. “Aha!” Jane picked up her phone. “Dr. Stark gave me a number to contact if there was anything I needed. It was if I wanted help with all the research. But I bet we could call on it and ask if he could help you.” Of course Stark was one of the Lords of Midgard. Thor was sure he knew a way around the rules that could help Thor. “Yes. Friend Stark would surely be able to help” “I told you the correct way to address him is ‘Dr. Stark’ or even ‘Mr. Stark’ . This friend Stark thing is a bit weird. Like you don’t say brother Loki or father Odin all the time do you?”

Thor was still learning how to address the people of Midgard by their proper title. Jane had said her formal title was Dr. Foster. Erik was also a doctor. Jane explained there were all kinds of doctors. Doctors who helped people at the hospital were like the ‘healers’ of Asgard. Then there were other doctors which were mostly people who excelled in certain fields. Jane excelled in the study of celestial objects and phenomena like the Bifrost so she was a Doctor in the field of astronomy. Stark excelled in engineering and physics so he was a doctor too. Thor supposed that by Midgard’s standards Loki would have been a doctor as well. He excelled in Sedir after all.

“Hello...Yeah...is this Dr. Stark’s office?” Thor was brought out of his musings by Jane. She was speaking into the phone. The phone was another unique creation of Midgard. It allowed people to talk no matter how far away they were physically. Thor with his enhanced senses was often able to hear both sides easily. Thor heard a metal like voice reply. “Hello Dr. Foster. I am JARVIS Dr. Stark’s personal assistant. How may I help you?” “Hello Jarvis. I actually wanted to see if I could talk to Dr. Stark or book an appointment with him. I….well actually Thor needed his help with something. It is a bit urgent.” “Is Prince Thor available for a conversation now? I wish to know why the urgency. Dr. Stark’s schedule does not have much room. I need to assess the matter before I can schedule something in” 

“Yeah he is here. But...electronics and Thor don’t really mix. It’s the whole God of Thunder thing. You know I’ll just put you on speaker if that’s ok.” “Certainly Dr. Foster” Jane pulled the phone away from her ear and pressed one of the tiny pictures on the screen. “Hello Prince Thor. May I know why you wish to speak to Dr. Stark.” Jarvis’s voice was now coming from the phone a lot louder than before. “Hello Mr. Jarvis. I wish to speak to Dr. Stark because I need his help to go to a different country. Norway. I do not have a passport or a permit and Jane tells me she is not sure if there are rules for my unique situation. I am as you know of Asgard. An alien for Midgard. I do not know how to proceed” “Just Jarvis is fine Prince Thor. I see...there is indeed no rule formed for your unique situation. May I know why you wish to travel to Norway?”

“Yes of course Jarvis. It has recently come to my knowledge that there is a place called Svalbard, Longyearbyen in Norway where some ruins were discovered. These ruins are believed to have been left behind by the Jotun. There were also some letters found in a strange language which no one is able to translate. I am researching the Jotun and I wish to examine these ruins. I also believe I might be able to help in the translation of the letters. However, there is the matter of how to get there. This is what I wish to discuss with Dr. Stark.” Thor thought it best to make it sound like he wanted to help the people of Norway too rather than just satisfy his own curiosity. Loki would have been proud.

“Very well Prince Thor. I shall convey your message to Dr. Stark and contact you again at a later date.” “Thank you Jarvis.” “You are welcome Prince Thor. Is there anything else Dr. Foster?” “No that was it. Thank You Jarvis” Jane disconnected the call. “Sometimes I forget that you are a Prince. You must have had a ton of training in diplomacy” Thor grinned. People did often forget that Thor was trained in politics. Though Thor had skipped most council meetings, some things he absorbed from centuries spent in the company of Loki Silvertongue.

Loki was better than Thor at talking his way around people but Thor could on occasion when he bothered turn on the charm as Loki used to say. “I suppose now we have to wait.” “Yeah. Dr. Stark is a busy man. It could take some time. But it’s better if we are as diplomatic as possible.” Thor nodded. “I agree. After the recent attack by Malekith it is better to put forward a picture that people of the other realms are willing to cooperate. Not every alien wants to conquer Midgard.” Jane smiled at him. “Well I think I’ll go back then. I’m sorry if I disturbed you”

“No. It’s ok Thor. I am kind of stuck actually. The readings are not making any sense” Thor frowned. “Do you mind if I look at them?” “No. Not at all. Shall I explain how it works?” “Yes. please” Thor squinted at the computer Jane turned towards him. “Ok. So during the convergence we used the tripods to read energy signatures. Now from studying the Bifrost, I determined that the barriers between the realms as you call them are actually walls of energy separating the realms from each other. We color coded the energy from each realm because we found that each realm’s barrier had its own unique energy. All good so far?”

Thor nodded. “Ok so during the showdown with Malekith. The barriers that is the energy walls became very weak, so much that gaps opened in several places. This was the actual Convergence. The barriers’ energies all mixed together. But the pods recorded a strange signature. It appeared to be coming through the energy wall of one of the realms through the ground. What’s odd about it is the trajectory. It’s confusing me”

Through the ground? Thor recalled what his mother had taught him about Yggdrasil. There was only one realm that was essentially ‘under the ground’. The realm of the dead Helheim. Mother called it the root of Yggdrasil. “Can you show me what the signature looked like.” “Yeah.” Jane pulled up a chart. It had horizontal parallel lines of different colors and also another line below them all curving upwards trying to go through the other lines “See this one was trying to go through all the different gaps of the realms. Kind of like how Malekith was trying to send the Aether’s power through the portals that had opened in London. When I showed to Erik he said it kinda resembled the signature that SHIELD recorded as Loki’s magic”

Thor’s eyebrows rose in surprise. He looked at the line on the screen again. Without actually being able to sense the energy it was not possible for Thor to determine if it was sedir or something else. But this strange energy had been attempting to cross the barriers between the realms. Why though? And to go where exactly? It was coming from the realm of the dead. To Thor’s knowledge no one alive lived there. The entire realm was filled with the souls of the dead. Was one of them trying to get out of Helheim? No it was not possible.

“Helheim is the only realm which is said to be underneath all other realms. But it is the realm of the dead. All the realm contains is souls of the dead. Even if some soul managed to cross over to another realm, it would be of no use as they would not have a physical body to be able to interact with the people. It would be doomed to wander like a ghost.” “Oh. Could some soul cross over though?” Thor shook his head. “No. Aside from the barrier, there is also a natural shield around Helheim. My mother explained that it was so the dead and living did not cross over into each other’s world. No living being can cross over to Helheim if they are alive and no dead soul can cross the barrier as they no longer have a physical body to return to”

“Well this is odd then” Thor agreed. It also bothered him that there was some soul out there powerful enough to try and reach the realm of the living through Helheim’s natural shield. A knock sounded on the lab’s door. Jane and Thor looked at each other confused. “Were you going to have a visitor at the lab Jane?” Jane shook her head. “No. Erik is still in Norway and Darcy is at college. I talked to mom last night and she's still in Virginia” Jane went to open the door. At the door was a man in jeans and shirt with a black jacket. He had long white hair which was pulled back from his face and had intricate braids. His ears were slightly pointed with some gold earring on it. He had sea-green eyes and there were some thin white markings around his eyes and on his chin and neck. 

Thor gasped. “Commander Zaaroc?” Jane turned and looked at him in confusion. “Prince Thor” Zaaroc bowed slightly. “Wait, you guys know each other?” Zaaroc turned to Jane looking assessing her. “You are Dr. Foster I presume?” Jane looked a little wary. “Yeah…” Zaaroc stood straighter. “I am Zaaroc, the commander of Alfheim’s army.” “Ok….” Jane looked at Thor questioningly. Thor shook himself. He walked up to the door. 

“Yes Jane. This is Zaaroc the commander of Alfheim’s army and also the most trusted member of my Uncle Freyr’s court. What are you doing here Zaaroc?” Zaaroc crossed his arms. “Should we have this conversation here out in the open where anyone can hear?” Thor looked around. He could see some people peeking out their windows looking at them. “No. Come in” He looked at Jane for permission. This was her lab after all. She nodded. “Yeah. Come in I guess…” Zaaroc smiled at her brightly. “Thank you Dr. Foster” Jane blushed a little and stepped aside.

Zaaroc stepped in. Thor could see he had a dagger concealed in his jacket. He pulled out a scroll from thin air. “You sent a message to His Grace. He wanted me to deliver his response personally” Oh! Thor took the scroll. So his message had reached Uncle Freyr. Jane looked confused. “Wait, your king sent you to a different planet to deliver a letter? Why not send it like Thor did?” Zaaroc looked at Jane with a small smile on his face. “You are very perceptive. Though it is obvious that the scroll wasn’t the only thing I came to deliver.”

Thor bristled. He and Zaaroc had never gotten along well. Zaaroc had been a boy of 14 years when he first came to Asgard. Uncle Freyr had sent him to be mentored by his mother. He was the son of one of his mother's cousins. Zaaroc excelled in both war and sedir. Loki had struck up a friendship with Zaaroc instantly. Even after he went home they exchanged letters. When Thor went to Alfheim for hunts, uncle Freyr would often send Zaaroc with them. He was an excellent tracker and knew the forests well. 

Loki and Zaaroc had been very close in those days. Thor even suspected that maybe they had been romantically involved. Loki would light up whenever he talked of Zaaroc. Thor had been jealous. Things came to a head when one day Thor heard Zaaroc tell Loki about some ring in his mother's garden. He had been furious. He thought Zaaroc was proposing. He had stomped over and grabbed Zaaroc by the neck telling him to stay away from his brother, not listening to Loki who had been trying to intervene. He had Zaaroc banned from the palace. Loki hadn’t spoken to him for months. Thor had no idea if Loki kept in touch with Zaaroc after that. If he did he didn’t tell Thor about it.

“Why are you **here** Zaaroc?” Thor couldn’t help his cold tone. Zaaroc turned back to him, one eyebrow raised. Not affected by Thor’s tone in the least. Jane looked between them confused. Zaaroc opened his mouth to say something but his eyes fell on the book still open on Jane’s desk. “What’s this?” He asked instead. Thor moved to block Zaaroc but he was faster picking up the book. “The Nine Worlds.” Zaaroc flipped the pages. Both his eyebrows raised in surprise. He read something from the book. His lips moving silently. The expression on Zaaroc’s face became serious.

“Where did you find this?” Thor was getting fed up with the questions. He went to tell Zaaroc off but Jane spoke first. “From one of our friends. Why?” “Nothing. It’s just not the kind of book I expected Thor of all people to be reading” He handed the book to Jane. Thor could tell there was something about the book that bothered him. Zaaroc looked at Thor again. “His Grace King Freyr wanted me to speak to you personally. The scroll was just for show”

Thor looked at Zaaroc surprised. He opened the scroll, indeed it was empty. “You know….I feel like this is going to be a long conversation. Why don’t we all go back to my house?” Jane suggested. “Yes, Dr. Foster. I believe that would be better” Zaaroc tilted his head in gratitude. “Cool.” Jane turned to leave but then stopped. “On that note, how did you know where to find Thor? And I didn’t hear the Bifrost. How did you even get here?” “I am a tracker. I can sense the power of Mjolnir. I tracked it here. An old friend taught me to use the secret paths a long time ago. I put the knowledge to good use.” Zaaroc looked a little sad at the mention of his friend. Thor knew this ‘old friend’ had been Loki.

“Oh. So you can like sense the energy Mjolnir gives off. How? Do you have some sort of natural radar? How does it work? What’s the range? Because you said you were from Alfheim right? That’s pretty far isn't it? And how accurate is this tracking thing. Did you knock on all the doors of the town before coming here?” Jane fired questions rapidly. Zaaroc looked a little overwhelmed. “Uh…” Jane seemed to realize she was going in scientist mode. “Oh! Sorry! Sometimes I just can’t help the questions. I didn’t mean to be rude…”

Zaaroc relaxed and chuckled. “No it’s fine. No it's not a natural radar. More like a sense. Like smell or taste. Once I see something with my third eye I can sense the unique signature of its consciousness and follow it. Of course an experienced sedir user may mask their signature and block me. But Mjolnir itself has its own sentience. Not full consciousness but sentient enough for me to track it. Distance is not really an issue for a well trained sedir user”

Thor could tell from the light in Jane’s eye that if he didn’t stop her now they would end up spending the entire day and night discussing Zaaroc’s powers. “Maybe we should go now?” Jane looked at Thor as if she’d forgotten he was there. “Uh...yeah...sure” Jane pulled her jacket on and shut down her computer. She turned the lights off and grabbed her keys. Thor walked out, Zaaroc following him. Jane shut the door and locked it. Thor stomped over to Jane’s house and opened the door with his set of keys, removing his jacket and going to the living room.

He stood by the window and crossed his arms. Zaaroc came in, looked at him, then sat on the couch, stretching his legs and crossing them at the ankles. Jane came in, took one look at Thor, then Zaaroc then sighed and leaned against the wall. Thor glared at Zaaroc, willing him to speak first. He only smirked back. Jane rolled her eyes. “Stop it both of you. Whatever it is. I don’t know and don’t care. This is my house and if none of you have anything to say then I’m going back to the lab” She crossed her arms and glared at them both.

Zaaroc straightened, “Apologies Dr. Foster. Old habits die hard.” He seemed to gather his thoughts. Zaaroc then put his hands in the air and moved them in a pattern. A golden light appeared tracing some symbols and then disappeared. Thor, even with his limited sense of sedir, could tell Zaaroc had done some big spell. A weight settled on the whole house. Thor could tell it was an illusion. Zaaroc had placed an illusion on them. “There now if someone looks at the house it will appear as if we are having lunch. There are a lot of eyes that are looking at you Thor.” 

Thor was immediately alert. “What do you mean a lot of eyes?” “News reached your little group of followers that you were going to Midgard. I was with them. Helping them track the white stag. I know it wasn’t you who informed them. Obviously some people don’t respect boundaries” Zaaroc looked at Thor pointedly. Of course Heimdall would keep watch on Thor. He hadn’t been keen on Thor coming to Midgard. “The few ears that His Grace has on Asgard say that Odin is becoming impatient with your absence. Apparently the task you’ve set out to accomplish here should not be taking this long” 

Now Thor was worried. He came and sat beside Zaaroc. “Odin has been impatient?” Zaaroc nodded. “Better keep your eyes open Thor. He’s bound to send someone after you soon rather than later. The King of Asgard is not as forgiving as the stories say” Zaaroc was right if Odin found out that Thor had been spending his time on Midgard researching the Jotun, talking to Jane then he would be furious. 

“Is that why you are here? To take me back?” Zaaroc hesitated. “Not quite. I mean….at least not yet. Freyr wants to see you face to face. There are some things he wishes to tell you despite my advice.” “Despite your advice?” Thor glared at Zaaroc again. He glared back. “Yes. Have you forgotten our last meeting? The one where you threw me out of Asgard. You didn’t even listen to what Loki was saying. Just assumed. And puffed up in self righteous anger. Because of course the golden prince of Asgard knows everything in this universe. He can’t ever be wrong. He just wants the best for everyone including his brother. That was all there was to the pointless jealousy you had for mine and Loki’s friendship. You don’t fool me Thor. I can tell you know”

Thor deflated. Zaaroc was very perceptive. More so than anyone Thor had ever met. Thor still remembered the ball they’d had during solstice many decades ago. Loki had danced with almost everyone. Thor had been watching him fondly. Too fondly. He still remembered the dread that creeped up his chest as he saw Zaaroc realize just how Thor looked at Loki. Thor had been so afraid the next day at breakfast. But Zaaroc never said anything. Occasionally Thor caught Zaaroc looking at him. Thinking. But never once did he question Thor on what he had discovered at the ball. It had frustrated Thor and in turn made him more aggressive towards Zaaroc.

Zaaroc sighed. He looked past Thor out the window. Lost in thought. There was a pain in his eyes. “Why?” Thor was confused. “Why what?” Zaaroc turned and pointed at the book in Jane’s hand. “Why? Why now? Huh Thor? What good is it now? When Loki is dead. Why do you want to know about the Jotun now? After all the damage is done. Why now?”

Thor got off the couch backing to the window. “You know. You know Loki was Jotun. How?!” Zaaroc laughed bitterly. “I overheard His Grace and Queen Frigga talking. After Loki’s ‘death’. But of course it was too late. Loki was lost to the void already. Because that murderer you call a father pushed, pushed and pushed until Loki had no other choice but to break.”

Zaaroc was now in Thor’s face, one finger jabbing in his chest, eyes glowing just slightly with sedir. A warning to never underestimate him. Thor had never seen him this angry. “Hey! Break it up!” Thor managed to tear his gaze from Zaaroc and look at Jane. She had walked over and was pulling on Zaaroc’s arm trying to get him to back away from Thor. It was no use Zaaroc was far stronger than her. Jane huffed. “Look we can all agree that what Odin did to Loki was terrible. But don’t harass Thor over it. He didn’t know either.” 

Zaaroc turned and Jane back a little at the look in his eyes. He sighed and rolled his shoulders. “Maybe….King Freyr should have sent someone else to talk to Thor” Jane looked at Zaaroc critically. He shook his head. “No. Someone else would have just poisoned Thor’s food and been done with him. I spent too much time with Loki. And have unfortunately picked up on his habit of seeing the good in Thor”

“Poisoned!!” Thor and Jane said at the same time. Zaaroc ran a hand through his hair. “Yes, poisoned.” He turned to Thor. “I did say a lot of eyes. Heimdall has just the two” Zaaroc stroked his chin thoughtfully. “Like I said there are some things you need to hear from His Grace’s mouth. You wouldn’t believe it otherwise. But….if you really and I mean really want to know about the Jotun, then….then I can help you with that task” Thor looked at Zaaroc. He was serious.

“Why would you help me?” Zaaroc put a hand on his shoulder. “Do you know what I was talking about with Loki that day in the garden?” Thor shook his head. “He wanted to make a protection charm for you. As a gift for when Odin announced you as his heir. Loki told me you could be a great king. That sometimes you are an idiot….” Thor smiled. “But you care. You care about the people. You want them to prosper and be happy. That you would abandon the very idea of war if that was the best for your people. He believed you could be more. More than what Odin moulded you to be. If he was here now he would want me to help you.” Thor looked at Zaaroc in a different light now. He realized why it was that Loki liked him so much. He was a true friend.

The feeling that he had been wrong in his past actions was a familiar one now. Thor had hurt a lot of people. Misjudged them. “Very well. What do you suggest we do? We need information that has not been tarnished by Asgard’s views. Where do we look for it?” “Well we could go see those ruins described in that book.” Jane sighed “Yeah but to get there we have to wait a little. We need to go through the proper channels. You and Thor are aliens. Can’t just go there.” Zaaroc smirked, “Oh. That’s not a problem at all. I knew the name on the book sounded familiar.” 

He pulled a phone and dialed a number. “Professor Dahl’s office?” Thor heard a female voice respond. “Yes. I am his secretary Nora” “Yes. I was wondering if I can talk to the professor.” Thor could hear some buttons being pressed and then Nora spoke again. “I’m sorry he’s not available now. Shall I leave a message?” “Yes sure. Tell him I am an old friend. I just wanted to reconnect with him.” “Ok. May I have your name?” “Yes. It is Zayne Feredir.” “Ok Mr. Fer-Wait just one moment” This time Thor heard Nora mumble something. “Mr. Feredir?” “Yes. It seems I misread the professor’s schedule. He’s available now. Shall I connect you?” “Oh. He’s available for a talk now? Yes sure..” “Thank you Mr Feredir. Connecting you now” Thor heard some buttons being pressed, then a male voice spoke in Elvish _“Is that you Zaaroc.”_ Thor’s eyebrows rose in surprise. _“Yes. Lael it’s me. It seems you have been busy”_ There was a pause _“You know about the book I sent to Prince Thor” “Yes I do. No, I'm not angry. You did the right thing. I need one more help” “Yes of course anything.” “I need passage to Svalbard, Longyearbyen for both me and Prince Thor. I take it you have connections that can arrange it.” “Yes! Yes! I do. Give me three days and you shall be there” “Thank you Lael. May the Norns guide you” “No thanks needed your grace. It is my duty to serve the royal house of Alfheim. May the Gods keep you.”_ Zaaroc ended the call. “There all done!” Thor gaped at him “Your grace! Royal house of Alfheim! I thought you were **my** cousin!” 

TBC...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How and why and when an elf ended on Earth and how Zaaroc knew to contact him we'll get to know as we progress.  
> For now:  
> Loki: I will talk to Thor and tell him everything!  
> Thor: Hold on let's go down memory lane first. Remember when I couldn't drink tea properly and you were a weirdo who dipped jam covered biscuits in tea?  
> Loki looks at the Norns in frustration: WHY ME!


	16. Freyr’s Palace (part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of wars and talks and lost things. Also conspiracy theories...

[A week before Zaaroc’s arrival on Earth]

Zaaroc stopped at the top of the hill. In the distance he could see the city of A'ellona and the royal palace of Alfheim. _‘Finally’_ After the warriors three and Sif had returned, Zaaroc had decided it was best to return back to the palace. He has to report that Thor’s friends were gone and Zaaroc also had duties he needed to attend to. He had spent too much time with those idiots tracking in the forest. Even with Zaaroc’s excellent tracking they hadn’t been able to catch the white stag. Mostly because they ignored every bit of advice Zaaroc gave on setting traps.

It had always been like that. Back when they were younger Thor and his friends would often come to Aflheim for hunts. Freyr always sent Zaaroc with them. But at least back then Zaaroc had Loki’s company. It made the hunts bearable. Over time Loki stopped coming to the hunts though. Choosing to read books from Alfheim’s library instead. Zaaroc wanted to stay back with him but he was the best tracker and the one who knew every inch of the forests so it was best that he went with Thor and co. instead. There were some things in the forests that were best kept hidden from the crown prince of Asgard and his ducklings.

The soldiers at the gate bowed to Zaaroc as he passed. He nodded to them. Zaaroc left his horse with the stable boy and went to the library. He knew that is where Freyr would be. His relationship with Freyr had always been tumultuous. As a child Zaaroc had lived in a small village on what he now knew had been Midgard. He had lived there with his caretakers. A male and female elf. At the time he had thought they were his parents. Zaaroc’s powers had manifested from a very young age. Their village chief a small man in stature was a powerful sorcerer and had provided the basic training to Zaaroc

Then one day Freyr had appeared in the village and had him brought to the palace on Alfheim. He claimed Zaaroc was the child of one of his cousins who had perished in the war. Freyr had Zaaroc trained by the best tutors. Made sure that he had everything he could want. He even sent Zaaroc to his sister on Asgard when’s Zaaroc’s powers first manifested. But Freyr was always hesitant around Zaaroc. Always a little stiff in speaking to him. As if he was afraid someone might see him and take Zaaroc away. As a child he had been confused by this. Then when he grew older slowly Freyr told him everything. About his real father and mother. About who he was really.

Zaaroc had been angry. Freyr had kept him from his mother! He had wanted to go to her then and there. But Freyr had stopped him. Then he had told Zaaroc about his own child. A child whose life had been snuffed out before Freyr could hold him. Freyr was afraid. Afraid of losing Zaaroc. He had convinced Zaaroc by saying that they were only biding their time. That there would come a day when he would be able to embrace his mother freely. But that day was never going to come now. Zaaroc’s mother was gone….

Zaaroc stopped at the door of the library. Queen Frigga...his mother visited him in dreams but rarely. Odin allowed her more and more freedom as the years passed but she was still afraid that if he found out about Zaaroc, he would not hesitate to kill him. She had told him about his father Vuco. About how Odin had killed him. About Hela and Angrboda and Laufey and all the other Jotun. She made sure that Zaaroc knew the truth. Zaaroc had asked her why she told him all this. But all she said was that she could not bear to lie to all of her children. At least one of them must be raised on the truth rather than the lie. Now Zaaroc wondered if it was because she was hiding the truth of Loki’s heritage from him. From them all. If it became one lie too much for her.

His aunt Freya was stuck ruling Vanaheim. She visited but she could not bear the sight of any child. It reminded her of her loss and she was unable to cope with it. When he had been a child every time she visited Freyr sent Zaaroc to the forests with Balin, his main tutor. That was how Zaaroc knew the forests so well. Balin and he would spend days wandering them. Zaaroc had a gift of sensing sedir and being able to track it. In addition to the forests, he was also well versed with the layout of the ley lines of Alfheim.

“Come in Zaaroc I know you are there.” Freyr somehow always knew it whenever Zaaroc was in the palace. He went in. The library was a long room with books lined on both sides and a walkway in the middle. Freyr was sitting on a chair near a lamp in front of one of the bookshelves in the library. The library covered two floors. The walkway ended in stairs which led to the second floor of the library. It had a stand in the middle where there was a glowing orb. The orb allowed Freyr to have a bird’s eye view of the forests and allowed him to track people in the forest. It was similar to the Hlidskjalf but its range was limited to Alfheim only.

Freyr looked up from his book. 

“Your Grace.” Zaaroc bowed to him.

Freyr sighed, “Zaaroc please. This is getting ridiculous. Please stop behaving like this.” 

Zaaroc narrowed his eyes, “I am sorry Your Grace. I do not understand. Did I do something?”

Freyr frowned and closed his book, coming to stand in front of Zaaroc. His long brown hair was greying in several places, pulled away from his face by intricate braids. It was longer than most Vanir kept it. There were lines around his eyes now. He wore robes in deep brown color. He had spent so long living among the elves. He dressed and looked like them now. Only the shape of his ears gave him away.

“You know what you are doing. You have been like this since months. Please I know things have not been well but I want to talk to my nephew not my military commander”

Zaaroc looked at his feet, “Does it matter? Does it matter that I’m your nephew? You could never call me that in public. Maybe you should stop in private too.”

Freyr sighed and rubbed his eyes. “It will change Zaaroc. One day I will address you as I ought without fear. We just...we have to be patient…”

Zaaroc looked up angry, “Patient? Patient?!! How patient? Is there an end date to this test of patience that we have going on? Huh? When will it end? When you are and I are dead? Like mother? Is that when?”

Freyr flinched a little. Zaaroc knew he was poking an open wound but he was frustrated. He had spent weeks with those ignorant idiots who all kept praising Odin and Asgard and he had to nod along and pretend to agree. When all Zaaroc had wanted was to tell them the bitter truth. To see the look on their faces when they realized just how many lies Asgard had been built on. But no he couldn’t do that. All because Freyr insisted they had to be ‘patient’.

Freyr didn’t say anything. Zaaroc scoffed and turned to leave. “Forget about it. I just came to inform you that the warriors three and Lady Sif have gone back to Asgard and I shall be resuming my duties effective immediately.”

“Wait Zaaroc. There is something I need to tell you.” 

Zaaroc turned back, one eyebrow raised in question. Freyr looked at the Orb. It had a detecting spell in it that tracked Heimdall’s sedir. Whenever Heimdall looked at something his sedir flared and enhanced his vision. It also reached out to the barrier between the realms to allow Heimdall to see. The orb was designed to detect it when he was looking towards Alfheim. Despite popular belief there were ways and ways to get around Heimdall’s sight. Freyr and Freya employed them to keep certain things from Asgard. But they had to be very careful. The slightest of mistake would end in disaster.

“I have news from a faraway friend. One who I thought would not speak to me again. We conversed at length for the first time in many years”

Zaaroc was alert immediately. Freyr had received some news from one of the other realms.

“Oh. Which friend?”

Freyr looked at the orb. It was silent.

“You wouldn’t remember her, you were just a baby when I met her at your mother’s wedding. She suffered a great loss recently. Her husband died. She was afraid that in his absence she would not be able to save the harvest from the winter. But it seems the Norns have had mercy on her. She says that the harvest is much more this time. More than it had been in many years past. She and her house were not consumed by the snows as she had feared.”

Jotunheim. Freyr had received news from Jotunheim! They had been able to better handle the release of power from the ley lines. But how? With Laufey dead it should have been more difficult.

Zaaroc was shocked. Freyr had told him that after Odin stole the Casket and supposedly murdered Laufey’s son, he had contacted them. The destruction on Jotunheim was catastrophic. Laufey was heart-broken. He hadn’t wanted anything to do with the other realms anymore. Freyr said Laufey had rebuffed all communications from him and Freya. They had tried to contact him many times over the next centuries but it was no use. Laufey had repaired Jotunheim as best as he could and then settled into it like it was his tomb. There had been no news from there ever since. At least not until Thor’s ruined coronation.

“I...You...Um...I mean this is good news. Um...did this friend say anything else?”

Freyr shook his head. Not here then. It was too risky to say anymore. Even with the orb. 

“Ok. I...I’ll go check on….things…..” Zaaroc trailed off his thoughts elsewhere.

Freyr looked amused. “Yes Zaaroc. We were going to receive some supplies from Vanaheim today. See that they are placed properly. You must be tired. Don’t work till late. You need to rest. We are going to be very busy over the next few weeks.”

Translation: Your aunt’s presence is needed for this conversation. Something big has happened. We will talk through dreams. 

Zaaroc walked out of the library in a daze. Queen Farbauti had reached out to his uncle. That was indeed big. Zaaroc went into the town and helped the merchants unload the supplies and have it all accounted for and set in the palace store houses.

He settled the merchants at one of the inns in the town. It was owned by a soldier, who pretended to be the innkeeper. A lot of people in Alfheim were actually trained like soldiers but kept mundane jobs for appearance’s sake. The Aesir thought Alfheim to be a realm of painters, poets and writers. They thought all the elves did was celebrate festivals, hunt animals and look pretty. Freyr’s official army was only one third of Asgard’s army. At least on paper. In reality, it was the opposite. Only one third of the population was untrained. Rest all could wield some kind of weapon.

That is where the forests helped them. Freyr had built temporary camps within the forests to train the people. All young children were sent after a certain age to the camps. There were a total of five camps spread around Alfheim. The camps moved constantly. At a time only ten children and two instructors were allowed to be in one camp. That way if some Aesir did happen upon them, the adults could claim they were teaching camping to the children. It was a slow process but they had to be careful. 

In addition Alfheim also had more weapons than Asgard thought they did. They were mostly close range weapons or weapons that could be passed off as hunting tools. Freyr could not build up defensive structures without alerting Odin. So instead he had more and more mages trained. These mages were taught to mask their powers at all times. They also often hid as common folk. So to an outsider, Alfheim was a very peaceful realm. But in reality Alfheim was a realm of highly trained warriors and mages and could assemble an army at a moment’s notice.

Vanaheim had more contact with Asgard and so Freya could not do the same there. But she and the council of Vanaheim and the army of Vanaheim were well informed and knew the truth. The common people were not as aware but Freya made sure to limit contact with Asgard as much as possible. Still Zaaroc had been shocked to learn that Loki was Jotun. Even more so when he learned that he had been the son of Laufey who was presumed dead. But by that time Loki had already fallen in the void

When Loki had resurfaced, and Odin had sent Thor after him, Zaaroc had protested. He wanted to go too. Thor for all the love he claimed to have for Loki often gave in to other people’s opinions of Loki rather than trusting Loki. All Zaaroc had heard after that was that Loki had attacked Midgard with the Chitauri, Thor had stopped him and Odin was going to punish him for this crime. Loki attacking Midgard made absolutely no sense to Zaaroc. It wasn’t like Loki. To Zaaroc’s knowledge Loki had fallen into the void. Where then did he find the Chitauri? How did he even survive in the first place?

These were all good questions that Odin apparently did not care about. He had sentenced Loki to life imprisonment. Just like that. No trial, no witnesses, nothing. Just a declaration. Is that what passed as justice on Asgard? Zaaroc was surprised when Thor did not protest. His mother’s silence he could understand. Odin would not have tolerated her speaking up but Thor. What stopped Thor? And then apparently according to Freyr he spent the time up to Malekith’s attack moping around as if he was the one who had been wronged.

It was times like this Zaaroc wondered how he and Thor were even related. Freyr and Freya had of course taken advantage of the previously broken Bifrost and had fallen victim to ‘skirmishes’ and ‘unrest’. Really they just hired pirates and paid them to make it look like Alfheim and Vanaheim were being attacked and used it as a training exercise for some of the newly trained soldiers.

It also kept Thor and a lot of Aesir busy as they fulfilled their ‘duty’ which allowed Freyr and Freya to reach out to Muspelheim and Nidavellir. Etri and Svol were also now secretly building up their armies. Honestly even if Thor ascended to the throne he would not be able to rule. All of the realms would rebel. They had already spent centuries under Odin’s thumb; they were not going to spend centuries more under Thor’s.

Thor’s attitude did not help. He had changed a lot. But still everyone was too wary. Thor had the bad habit of being too ‘trusting’ as Loki had called it. It was easy to sway his opinions or rather he allowed people to run rampant, doing what they liked without any consequences. His ducklings were the biggest example. They had disobeyed Loki when he had ascended to the throne of Asgard by every law in the book and yet not one hair on their head had been touched. They had committed treason but were allowed to roam free. Thor never did anything about it.

Zaaroc wished he could go to his half brother and shake him and demand what he was doing with his life. How could he allow such bias when he was supposed to be a ruler, a leader? Alas Thor and Zaaroc had never gotten along. Zaaroc had tried. When he had found out that Frigga was his mother. He had tried to befriend Thor. Unfortunately, Thor back then liked ducklings who nodded at all his suggestions and kissed the ground he walked on. Zaaroc was more the type to tell him he had meat stuck in his teeth. His brand of brutal honesty was something Thor took as disrespect. 

Then there was that incident of him thinking Zaaroc had been proposing to Loki. That one still made Zaaroc shake his head at Thor’s pigheadedness. He let it be after that. At least one of his half siblings liked him. It would have to be enough. Of course now Zaaroc knew Loki was not his sibling at all. The Norns had been cruel. They had ripped both his mother and the man who was his brother in all but blood from him at the same time.

Zaaroc sat on his bed in his room. He picked up his journal. Really his and Loki’s journal. It had details of the secret paths that Loki and Zaaroc had explored together. Zaaroc always felt guilty for not sharing the truth about himself with Loki. But both Freyr and Freya as well as Frigga had been very strict that Loki was not to be told anything till they deemed it the right time. The plan had been to reveal the truth after Thor’s ascension to the throne. Frigga was sure Thor would believe her. And if things turned for the worse, it would be easier to fight Thor than to fight Odin

No could have predicted what a mess Thor’s coronation would turn into. Nor the mess that followed it. Loki’s loss was a big one. Freyr and Freya always wanted Loki to be the one to sit on the throne of Asgard. When Odin had chosen Thor instead they had been upset but consoled themselves that at least Loki would be a part of the court, maybe even Thor’s advisor. But Loki had ended up imprisoned. Another victim of Odin’s machinations who was ostracised and left to rot. Then the convergence approached

Freyr and Freya had planned to try and reach Hela during the convergence but Malekith’s attack and the death of his mother sidetracked them. From there it was a lot of arguing with Odin to let Alfheim and Vanaheim help and him refusing it. For the first time in maybe his life Thor had done something sensible and gone to Loki for help. That it ended in Loki’s death was another blow. But it did prove one thing Thor was capable of being more than what Odin wanted. He was capable of making his own choices and standing by them. _‘Just like Loki always wanted him to do’_

Now their plans had shifted yet again. Freyr and Freya were contemplating whether they should approach Thor and tell him the truth. It was a very risky move. Especially now that Frigga was dead. If Thor did not believe them or refused to believe them, then all the preparations of centuries would go down the drain. Odin would kill them all, burn their bodies and salt the ground. And then where would the realms be? They had to tread carefully. Though Thor choosing to go to Midgard rather than coming to Alfheim with his ducklings was perhaps a sign that the times were changing.

Zaaroc kept the journal back on his bedside table. He laid down and closed his eyes, letting his mind drift and sought his uncle's consciousness. When he opened his eyes he was sitting at a round table to the left of Freyr. On Freyr’s right sat Freya. To Zaaroc’s left was Svol and to Svol’s left was Etri. To Zaaroc’s surprise to Erti’s left stood a blue skinned woman who he assumed was Farbauti.

“Queen Farbauti, thank you for coming here. Please sit. I believe you have news for us?” Freyr looked at Farbauti with a slight smile on his face.

Zaaroc stared at Queen Farbauti. He had been taught about the Jotun but had never seen one in real life. The books on Asgard described them as monstrous. Uncle Freyr taught him that they were beautiful beings who were an extension of their realm just like their counterparts the fire demons. In Zaaroc’s opinion the writers on Asgard should be ashamed of themselves.

Queen Farbauti was tall. About a head taller than Thor. She had blue skin that was smooth without any blemish. She wore a fur lined sleeveless tunic and trousers that were also lined with fur. She had markings around her eyes, on her forehead and on her arms going up to the back of her hands. Her hands had long fingers that ended in sharp black nails. They were elegant like a painter’s hands. Her eyes were a deep red that sparkled and her hair was white falling down her shoulders in waves. She did not have any braids in her hair nor was she wearing any crown to symbolize her status. She had a ring on her finger and another that hung from a leather cord around her neck. Zaaroc wouldn’t call her monstrous. Far from it.

When she smiled Zaaroc saw that her canines were just a bit sharper than the normal person’s. “King Freyr it has been a long time.” Farbauti sat down and looked at each person seated around the table, her gaze stopping when she reached Zaaroc.

“You have your mother’s eyes.” Farbauti looked sad. Zaaroc looked at the table not sure how to respond to that. 

Farbauti looked back at Freyr. “Yes, Freyr I have news.” Zaaroc sat straighter. If Queen Farbauti had contacted them after centuries of silence it must be something earth shattering.

“The Casket of Ancient Winters has been restored to where it belonged”

Zaaroc was sure his jaw was on the floor. Freyr got up unable to stop himself.

“What! How is that possible?!!! I thought it was lost when Loki fell from the Bifrost”

Farbauti shook her head. She looked at her hands fingering the ring on her finger. When she looked back up Zaaroc saw a deep pain in her eyes

“Freyr has told me that the one people called the second prince of Asgard was actually my lost child. Odin turned my son against his people. Fed him lies all his life. So much so that he set out to destroy us. To finish what Odin had started. But I suppose at the end his heart had never been wrong. So the One Above All showed my child mercy and did not let his hands be stained with the blood of his own people. When he set the Bifrost to destroy Jotunheim. He used the Casket to make sure no one could undo what he had done. The Casket latched onto the sedir of the Bifrost and when its rays fell on Jotunheim at first they caused destruction. But the Casket is the heart of Jotunheim. It recognized its home. And the destruction turned to creation. The Casket tapped into the ley lines and started reforming Jotunheim. Repairing damage that had been done long back.”

Farbauti ran a finger over the marks on the back of her hand. “The sign would have been there. I suppose the place where the Casket joined the Bifrost, a replica of Yggdrasil made of ice must have formed. Then when that boy...Thor broke the Bifrost. The Casket's connection to Jotunheim's ley lines pulled it to us. A chunk of the mechanism alongwith the Casket fell on the old ruins of the temple. The Casket sunk back to its sanctuary underneath the temple. I deliver this news now because it took all of mine and Jarnsaxa’s sedir to get to the Casket again and we had to make sure we were shielded from Heimdall.

I do not know what Odin has been using the Casket for all these years. But he has been using it. For the Casket’s sentience was very angry. Jarnsaxa determines that it has been misused. Its purpose twisted for selfish gain. The Casket is once again secured in the inner sanctuary. The chunk of the planet that had broken off has been restored as well. I have some very strong shields around us and also strong ice mists to hide us from Heimdall. It’s just a precaution. Most of us live under the surface now not above it.”

Freya spoke up. “Still Farbauti. Are you sure Odin is not aware of this?”

Farbauti nodded. “Yes Freyr tells me that Loki used the Casket on Heimdall. He does not realize it but a part of Heimdall is Jotun. As I said the Casket was angry. It connected to Heimdall and has sealed off a part of his power. He was not trained like a proper mage. He would not be able to feel the change. At least not so soon. And I don’t think he was as powerful as everyone says he is. Look at Malekith! He must have hidden for centuries. Yet Heimdall never once saw him.”

Svol had a grin on his face. “This is indeed good news! The Gods are in our favour.” He turned to Farbauti. “You said the Casket’s power has been misused for personal gain right? I believe Odin twisted the ritual to consume sedir and used it on the Casket to gain more power for himself. Jotuns can connect themselves to the Casket can’t they?”

Farbauti nodded “Yes. But only the royal blood and the bloodlines of the priests can handle the power given off by the Casket”

Svol rubbed his chin in thought “Yes..But Odin is royal blood. He should have been able to handle it. Does anyone know how he ‘restored’ himself during the ‘Odinsleep’”

Zaaroc spoke up. Loki had explained this to him. “Yes...Loki told me that Odin connected himself to the ley lines of Asgard and drew power from them to restore himself”

Svol raised an eyebrow “How though? You need an anchor. Can’t connect to all of the ley lines for such a long time otherwise.”

Etri leaned in, “You are saying that Odin used the Casket to connect to the ley lines of Asgard and increase his own power?”

Svol nodded “Yes. Yes. It is possible. The Casket was designed to tap into the ley lines. If you think about it the vault **is** beneath the palace. Just like the Casket used to be kept beneath the temple in Jotunheim”

Zaaroc thought back to the time Loki had stolen a detailed blueprint of the palace. “Yes..Odin’s chamber….the one he is placed in when he’s in Odinsleep is directly above the section of the vault where the Casket is kept.”

Svol banged his fist on the table. “See that’s it! That’s why he stole the Casket! To use it to gain more power.”

Freyr crossed his arms “So...Odin could not build his own anchor and decided to steal someone else’s instead of looking for another way.” 

Freya scoffed “Yes that is believable. All Odin does is steal things better men have built. But he doesn’t have the Casket anymore”

Mirth bubbled in Zaaroc’s chest. He laughed. All the others looked at him. “Don’t you see….This means he can’t restore his power anymore.”

Etri sat straighter. “Yes...he can’t. Not unless he consumes someone else’s organs like he used to before.” He turned to Freyr “Frigga’s body is gone right? Odin couldn’t have harvested her organs could he?”

Freyr and Svol both shook their heads at the same time. Svol replied to Etri. “For the spell to be successful you have to seal off the sedir channels first otherwise the sedir of the person returns to Yggdrasil when they die. Frigga was already dead when Odin found her. Even if he did harvest her organs it would do no good”

“Yes” said Freyr “And in any case, I could not go to my sister’s funeral but my friends in Asgard made sure that her body was not desecrated. She had a proper funeral”

Farbauti smiled a wide smile, so like Loki’s that Zaaroc was stumped by the similarity “Well then. This is an opportunity. Odin is old now. Not the man he used to be. And he is weak. We should strike while the iron is hot”

Everyone nodded in agreement. “Yes!” Etri said. “I heard that Prince Thor is on Midgard. There are rumors that he may marry among the mortals. He shows no interest in ruling Asgard. Not anymore. The Aesir are still shaken by Malekith’s attack. This is the best time.”

Freyr and Freya looked at each other. Zaaroc knew what they were thinking. “About Thor….” Freyr put a piece of paper on the table. “He sent this to me. I received it just before our meeting.”

Zaaroc was curious. “What does it say?” Freyr sighed, “Thor wants to talk to me.”

Zaaroc frowned. “Talk to you? About what? I assume this was sent from Midgard.” 

Etri spoke before Freyr could reply “Do you think he suspects something? About you?”

Freyr shook his head “No. I don’t think so. And I don’t know what he wants. All this message says is that Thor wishes to speak to me. It doesn’t say about what. But….” Freyr looked at Freya who nodded “Freya and I have talked and….Thor is our nephew. He is not just Odin’s son. He is Frigga’s son too. We….we want to tell him the truth. About Odin. About Asgard. We believe he deserves to know. We want him to stand by us, not against us. It is what Frigga would have wanted.”

Svol stood up his eyes flashing. “ABSOLUTELY NOT! Have you lost your mind! Do you mean to doom us?!!”

Etri also stood up his chair clattering to the ground. “Thor will never believe you! Worse still he will run to Odin and tell him we are conspiring! Odin will kill all of us before we can even think of attacking him! It will be our ruin!!”

Farbauti banged her fist on the table, ice covering it. “Stop it! Sit down! You don’t need to yell!” She hissed at Svol and Etri baring her teeth

Farbauti turned to Freyr. “They do have a point, Freyr. I understand what you wish to do. But you must see the risk. Thor was raised by Odin a certain way from a very young age. It is not so easy to change beliefs that have been drilled into him. Look at the destruction he caused on Jotunheim. Frigga was my friend too but she is gone. We still live. We cannot forsake the living for the sake of the dead.” Etri and Svol started yelling again, Zaaroc ignored them

He thought about it. Both Freyr and Farbauti were right in their own way. Thor did deserve the truth. Odin had used him too. He just didn’t know about it. It was not fair to claim Thor was ignorant when he only had a twisted lie to base his opinions on. On the other hand the fear of Thor going to Odin was a very real threat. It wasn’t just about them. The common people would suffer too. Their mistake could lead to the death of thousands of people. 

But...it’s not just about Thor either. Zaaroc thought about all the other people on Asgard. People like Thor who had been fed lies from birth. Who looked down on the other races because that was all they had been taught. Who didn’t know any better.

“Killing Odin isn’t enough….” Everyone looked at him. Zaaroc looked at them all and spoke louder. “Killing Odin isn’t enough. Think about it. The people of Asgard. They are….at least one generation was taught bias and prejudice like Thor. Do you really think killing Odin will solve it? That we would have peace and justice like we want…”

Zaaroc thought about Loki who had been cast out for pointing out Odin’s lies. No one had spoken for him. Because they all believed Odin. The people of Asgard had been conditioned by Odin to accept his word like it was spoken by the Norns themselves. Killing Odin wouldn’t change their attitude. It might make it worse.

Farbauti looked at Zaaroc with approval in her eyes. “The little elf is correct. Odin's biggest triumph is that he convinced the people of Asgard to forget their ancestors. To forget that they share blood with the Jotun. Killing him is not enough. The people must remember. They must remember where they come from. They must be reminded of the truth. Otherwise Odin will become a martyr and we will be called murderers.”

Etri nodded but Svol narrowed his eyes, “And how do you propose we accomplish this mammoth task?”

Farbauti pointed to Freyr. “Like Freyr said we start from the top. From Thor. He is the golden prince, loved by his people. We start there and work our way down. It will be easier with him on our side. And if we manage to turn the people against Odin then we can avoid a lot of bloodshed.” 

That seemed to strike a cord with Svol. “Yes….if the people of Asgard refuse to fight for Odin we will indeed avoid much bloodshed. Very well. But we must plan. We have to be smart about this.”

Freyr spoke up again. “I agree. I think we should test the waters first then take the plunge.” He looked at Zaaroc meaningfully.

Zaaroc sighed and put his hand up. “I volunteer. Thor is on Midgard. I have connections there. I shall go under the pretense of setting up a meeting between Thor and uncle Freyr and see if I can get Thor to listen to some truth.”

Etri leaned in “Where will you start?” Zaaroc looked at Queen Farbauti. Who had her brow furrowed in thought, her expression so like the one Zaaroc often saw on Loki’s face. Their eyes met. He knew exactly where he was going to start

“I start with Loki. With the Jotun. It’s time Thor knew exactly whose blood flows through his veins”

TBC….

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a flashback of why Zaaroc appeared on Earth at such a perfect time. His plan had been to tell Thor about the Jotun all along. Imagine his surprise when Thor was already taking steps in that direction. That's why Zaaroc openly contacted Lael in front of Thor. Because he saw that Thor was willing to change. On his own. No influence from anyone else. The best kind of situation for Zaaroc to reveal the truth to him
> 
> The Casket connected to the Bifrost on one end and to the ley lines of Jotunheim on the other. When Thor broke the Bifrost that side of the connection broke but the connection to the ley lines was still there and it pulled the Casket to Jotunheim


	17. Puente Antiguo (part 4)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of stubbornly obtuse half brothers and mind boggling revelations.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh look! its the plot finally inching forward to what we are all here for.

Zaaroc and Thor had been staring at each other for the past five minutes. They both had their arms crossed and shoulders squared. Jane had no idea who Zaaroc had called but apparently Thor could hear both sides of the cell phone line. Also apparently despite being Thor’s cousin Zaaroc was not supposed to be part of the royal family and it was strange for someone to address him as such. Thor had demanded to know why someone would call Zaaroc by the same honorative as Thor. Zaaroc said that was a long story which Thor was in no way ready to hear and that they should focus on their research on the Jotun instead. Thor did not want to let it go and Zaaroc refused to give in. Now they were having a staring contest.

Jane was getting frustrated. “Ugh! This is ridiculous. Look Zaaroc if you don’t want to say anything just say so.” She turned to Thor “And Thor be nice! If Zaaroc doesn’t want to tell you anything you can’t force him.” Jane pushed past them and went to the kitchen. She needed a coffee if she was going to have to sort out Thor’s family issues.

Thor grimaced at Jane’s back. He looked back at Zaaroc with narrowed eyes. “This conversation is not over.” He expected Zaaroc to roll his eyes or scoff at him but he only nodded firmly. Thor went after Jane, she was waiting for the coffee to finish brewing. She had kept Erik’s book on the kitchen counter. Thor picked it up again. Reading the name of the author ‘Henry Dahl’ It was entirely possible that Lucas Dahl and Henry Dahl were the same person considering that elves lived as long as the Aesir. 

What confused Thor was why an elf was even living on Midgard in the first place. The elves were simple people. They dedicated their life to the arts. Paintings, plays, dance and poetry were common on Alfheim. Loki had especially been enamoured by the air dancers that would perform during the spring harvest. The elves were not known for having a desire to explore with a few exceptions like Zaaroc; they mostly stayed in their realm and traded very little with the rest of the nine. It was surprising that an elf had decided to come so far and settle on Midgard.

Zaaroc walked into the kitchen looking at the book in Thor’s hands. He frowned at it again. Something about it bothered him. 

“What? What is it Zaaroc? Why do you keep frowning at the book?” Thor narrowed his eyes at Zaaroc again. 

Zaaroc sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Nothing. Just...I didn’t expect it to be so detailed. Lael did tell me he had written a book in the hopes of ‘educating the mortals’ as he calls it. But I never bothered to read it.”

“Detailed?” Thor had not really read the book except for the family tree and a few other paragraphs. He couldn’t tell if it was detailed. All Zaaroc had done was flip the pages. How did he manage to pick up on the fact that it was detailed?

Jane was apparently listening too. “Wait, how can you tell it's detailed? All you did was flip through it one time” 

Zaaroc smirked. “I didn’t flip randomly. I flipped specific pages about specific topics. Topics on which it is not possible to have the kind of information that the book has. At least not if you are a human researcher who only has a bunch of rocks as evidence of supposed beings of with fantastical powers”

Jane rolled her eyes. “There is a lot of evidence to be found from rocks as you say. I mean archeologists have made entire maps from just a bunch of rocks.”

Zaaroc shrugged. “Maps are easy. Bloodlines not so much.” He looked at Thor. “Did you read any of the genealogies described in the book?”

Thor wondered where Zaaroc was going with this. “Just one. The genealogy of Ymir.” He turned to Jane. “Ymir was said to be the first Jotun. The very first of his kind” 

“Yes..yes….he was the father of Jotuns….not that accurate but we’ll come to it later.” Zaaroc waved a hand dismissively. “ Find anything else interesting?”

What was Zaaroc trying to get at? Thor thought about the name Bestla in the family tree of Ymir. “Apparently there was also a female Jotun by the name of Bestla, sister to Bergelmir son of Ymir.” Thor chuckled awkwardly “That was odd. I didn’t know there was a giantess with the same name as my grandmother”

Jane frowned at him and Zaaroc looked at Thor like he had said something incredibly stupid. “Was there a picture of this Bestla in the book? Hmmm?” This was starting to sound like a trap to Thor.

“Uhh….yes?” he replied. Jane perked up immediately. “Really? And all you did was show me a bunch of ruins! Thor! Come on, give me the book. I want to see what the Jotuns look like” Jane already had a hand on the book and was pulling it. Thor let it go. Zaaroc came up beside Jane and opened the two page illustration of Bestla. 

Jane looked at it confused. “Wait, both the pictures are Bestla. How is that possible?” Thor wondered the same thing. Jane peered at the pictures. She pointed to the one that showed Bestla as an Aesir. “This one looks more like Loki’s long lost sister. From the eye color to the long black hair and sharp cheekbones. She kinda looks like she could be his twin.” 

Jane looked at the picture of the blue skinned woman. “Is this accurate? Do Jotuns really look like this?” 

Zaaroc smiled at her. “Yes. It’s accurate. I think Lael made these illustrations himself. There is no way a human would know what Bestla looked like. I don’t think even **Thor** knows”

Jane looked at Thor questioningly, “You don’t know what your grandmother looked like? I don’t know if Asgard has a trend of making portraits but you guys have paintings don’t you. I saw all those murals on the walls of the palace. Don’t you have a mural of Bestla?”

Thor shuffled his feet. “Uh..No I….we don’t have any paintings or murals of her….” Zaaroc snorted. Thor glared at him. He just crossed his arms and huffed, glaring back. Jane rolled her eyes. The coffee machine beeping interrupted their second stare off.

Jane poured some coffee in her mug and added milk and sugar stirring it. She looked at Zaaroc. “Do you want some? This is coffee. It's….its like tea. We drink it….anytime really. It’s good for when you want to stay awake…”

Zaaroc laughed. “I know what coffee is Dr. Foster. I’m not Thor. I prefer tea though.”

If looks could kill Zaaroc would be dead by now. But something else bothered Thor, “Wait the cell phone. Where did you get that? From Lael? Come to think of it, where did you get these clothes from?”

Zaaroc smirked at Thor, “Finally you are asking the right questions. I was beginning to think you lost the two brain cells you had left.”

Thor went to punch the smirk off Zaaroc’s face but Jane came in between them, “Nope! If you both are staying at my house then we are all following my rules. And rule number one is no roughhousing with your cousin in the house!”

Zaaroc perked up. “Oooh! Does that mean we can do it outside the house?”

Jane glared at him. “No! No roughhousing at all. We are all grown ups. We can sit and talk like reasonable adults.” Jane gave a stern stare to both of them.

Zaaroc and Thor nodded. Jane smiled satisfied and picked her cup from the counter. “Let’s just go back to the living room. I’ll push the table in one corner. We can all sit down on the carpet and talk. It would be better if we are all facing each other. And Zaaroc stop beating around the bush. If there is something about the Jotun that you want to share, be forward about it. Don’t think I haven’t noticed it.”

Zaaroc looked at Thor, then turned to Jane, “That is not up to me. I can be forward. But I’m not sure if Thor would like it. In the past he never really liked it when I was forward”

Thor swallowed the guilt. It was true. Zaaroc had often tried to strike up a friendship with Thor. But he was always quick to defend Loki and condemn the warriors three and Sif. Thor thought he was overstepping his boundaries. He also never liked the way Loki would smile at Zaaroc every time he defended him. Thor had rejected Zaaroc’s honesty in the past. Of course he was wary of being honest with Thor now. 

But Thor was a different man now than he had been before. At least he was trying to be. He could listen to Zaaroc now. “I’m….I’m sorry Zaaroc. About my behaviour. In the past I mean and even now. If there is something you have to tell me then I swear I will listen without judgement.”

Zaaroc nodded. “Very well. I will take your word for it. Come on then. We best get started. I have a lot to tell you. There are some very serious pieces of information that you are missing”

Jane, Thor and Zaaroc all moved back to the living room. Zaaroc pushed the table in one corner as Jane instructed and they all sat down in a circle. Thor and Zaaroc facing each other, Jane in between them.

Zaaroc picked up Lael’s book again and opened it to the page that had the family tree of Ymir. “Lael’s depiction of Ymir’s family tree is pretty accurate. There are still some things missing. But let’s put that aside for now. Bestla was indeed Jotun. Freyr taught me that she and her brother Bergelmir ruled Jotunheim together. Until the day Buri approached them and proposed that Bestla marry his son Bor”

Jane was completely engrossed in the story. Thor frowned. “But….then...why have I never heard of this? Surely if Bestla was Jotun someone on Asgard would have told me.” He turned to Jane. “You saw her picture. A Jotun would be very noticeable on Asgard.”

Zaaroc raised one eyebrow, “You mean like Loki was so noticeable? He was Jotun too. And no ‘Odin’s glamour’ would not have held for so long. Especially once Loki was old enough and his own sedir manifested. Don’t forget he was a shapeshifter and he is not Odin’s biological son, that power came from Ymir’s bloodline or more accurately Bergelmir’s bloodline. The shape shifting gift was something that started with them. With Bestla and Bergelmir”

Thor contemplated it. “You are saying that Bestla could shapeshift too? That she used an Aesir form when she went to Asgard?”

Zaaroc nodded and turned to the picture of the Aesir woman in the book. “Yes! That’s exactly what I’m saying! The Jotun live on a realm of ice and snow.” Zaaroc looked at Jane, “In human measurements. Jotunheim’s average temperature during summers is -58 degree fahrenheit and during winters it doubles to -148 degrees. During the ice storms it can drop to -292 degrees which is when it becomes too cold even for the Jotun.”

Jane’s jaw dropped. That was colder than the coldest place on Earth during the coldest month. Zaaroc smiled. “Yes. I know. A normal human would turn to ice within seconds if they stepped on Jotunheim even during summer. In comparison, Asgard is very warm. The Jotun cannot tolerate the heat for too long in their natural skin. Especially during summertime on Asgard. Only the winters are bearable for them. So if Bestla was to marry Bor, she would need a way to survive both winters and summers on Asgard without suffering a heat stroke.”

Zaaroc looked at the picture of Bestla. “There is one more thing you should know. The Jotun are exceptionally talented in sedir. They are born with a connection to Yggdrasil. Through this connection they manipulate all things which come under the power of Yggdrasil. Powers over natural elements are common for them. Bestla was a witch. She experimented with her sedir and developed the power to shapeshift. She passed this knowledge to her brother who was also a gifted mage. Now all of their descendents have the ability to change forms. Though I think Loki was exceptionally talented in this gift.”

Jane shifted forward. “So, if Bestla was Thor’s grandmother and she could change forms, does that mean Thor is capable of changing form too? And what about Odin? He would be Bestla’s son right? Can he change forms too?”

Zaaroc thought about it, “I’m not sure if Thor can have any physical Jotun traits or if he can shift to a Jotun form. He’s only a quarter Jotun as Odin is half Jotun and half Aesir and Queen Frigga was full Vanir” Zaaroc and Thor both looked sad at the mention of Queen Frigga

“But still Zaaroc, Odin has never had any physical Jotun traits. Are you saying that all my life my father hid his real form from me? How is that possible? And even if I’m only quarter Jotun there must be some trait that gives it away” Thor looked at Zaaroc doubtfully.

“Of course there is. Like I said the Jotun are known to have power over the natural elements. Think about it Thor. Where do you think your power over the skies came from. It is the biggest clue. It’s a sign that you are descended from the Jotun. The vanir tend to have much more subtle powers. It was the Jotun whose powers were more vocal and easily manifested.”

Zaaroc rubbed his chin in thought. “As for the physical traits in Odin. Like I said Bestla and her descendents can change forms. It is entirely possible for Odin to stick to his Aesir form and never change it. For you….I….I discussed this with...an expert and I believe that there your physical traits were hidden by Odin just like they were hidden by him for Loki. I….I think if I explain the basics of Bestla’s shapeshifting skills, you should be able to manifest some physical Jotun trait. I might have to study your sedir channels though how they flow. How they are connected to Yggdrasil…..to be sure”

Thor wanted to protest that Odin would not keep something so big from him. But….Odin did lie to Loki all his life. What was stopping him from doing the same with Thor? Nothing. Thor realized no one could stop him from lying to Thor like he had to Loki. And…..there was no harm in trying, was there? He could try and see if he could show some physical Jotun traits like Zaaroc suggested. If it did not work then Thor could have his peace of mind that Zaaroc is wrong about Bestla. If it did work…..then….Thor would deal with it”

Mind made up, Thor nodded to Zaaroc. “Very well Zaaroc. What do I need to do?”

Jane had been watching them silently till now spoke up. “Um...should I leave?”

Zaaroc looked at her. “No, I will need your help too. To check Thor’s sedir channels I would need to put him in a trance. But Thor is not as used to the mindscape as me. I need someone to keep in touch with him and ground him. So that he is not lost in his memories. That is a trap most people who are not used to sedir fall into. They endlessly cycle through their memories and forget that they are in the mindscape. In simple terms they fall into a coma or even become brain dead.”

Jane looked a little wary. “Are you sure this is safe? Maybe we should try something else. I have equipment designed to read energy. That is basically what ‘sedir’ is right?”

Zaaroc shook his head. “No….that won’t be able to catch the connection to Yggdrasil. Don’t worry I am very well trained. I have done this many times with the apprentices on Alfheim to gauge what kind of sedir training they need. It is a sort of ‘check-up’ but for the mind and soul rather than the body. It’s just that Thor has virtually no training in sedir. Queen Frigga and Loki did teach him some of the basics but he has had no formal training whatsoever. Odin did not allow it. That’s why we have to be extra careful.”

Thor looked at Zaaroc in surprise. “How did you know it was Odin who banned mother from teaching me sedir?”

Zaaroc rolled his eyes. “Who else could command the queen? And it’s not that hard to guess why you never got formal training. Aesir do look down on sedir users. If the crown prince practiced sedir extensively what would people say? Can’t have people talking even if it means your child skips important lessons for it.”

Jane snorted. “That’s actually terrible. It just shows how little Odin cares. Was this training important?”

Zaaroc nodded “Very important. If you ask me I think Thor only uses about half his powers. The rest of them are being wasted simply because he doesn’t know how to use them. I think if Thor had been trained well enough he would have been able to control thunder without using Mjolnir to anchor his power”

Thor didn’t know that. He stared at Mjolnir still in umbrella form in the corner beside the table. He couldn’t imagine not using it. Wasn’t it the source of his power?

Jane thought so too. “I thought Mjolnir was where Thor got his power from. I mean that’s what it looked like to me when I first met him”

Zaaroc shook his head. “No. Mjolnir is a weapon. And yes it does have its own power and even sentience. But it is meant to help Thor control his power. It is not the source itself just a means to better handle the power Thor himself is accessing through Yggdrasil. I would assume that turning Thor mortal is just blocking his sedir channels temporarily. Odin did not actually take Thor’s power. He just made his subconscious mind momentarily forget how to access it. That knowledge was buried in the sentience Mjolnir has with a very specific spell that would allow Thor to access that knowledge. If Odin had actually ripped Thor’s sedir out he would have died a very very painful and slow death”

To Thor it sounded like Zaaroc had known someone who died such a death. “Did you know someone who died like that?”

Zaaroc looked at Thor. Thor could tell he was thinking how to respond. “No...not personally,” Zaaroc said, his tone careful. “And it wasn’t the same situation. Their sedir channels were closed off from Yggdrasil incorrectly. But yes mishandling the sedir channels can cause a lot of pain. We do not want to do that”

Jane nodded and sat straighter. “Ok. What do we need to do?” Thor sat straighter too. He remembered this vaguely from when Loki would practice it on him as a child. But that was a long time ago. He did not remember the details that well.

Zaaroc cracked his knuckles. “Ok. Jane I need you to hold Thor’s right hand. I will hold his left. You are one point of the connection. I am the other. I’m not going to pull you in the mindscape with us. Your job is to provide physical contact which can be used to ground Thor should he get lost in the memories. Which is just a long way to say squeeze his hand real hard if his breathing becomes too erratic or if he drops unconscious”

Zaaroc turned to Thor, “Thor you must remember this part. Close your eyes. Stop thinking. Stop looking through your physical eyes. Let your mind go.”

Thor closed his eyes, but Zaaroc kept his open. Jane watched as Thor’s breathing slowed down and Zaaroc’s pupils started glowing. Then glow spread to cover his entire eyes from the whites to the iris. Then suddenly the ring on Thor’s finger started to glow. Jane saw green sparks come from it and Zaaroc screamed at the same time and pulled his hand from Thor’s as if burned. Thor opened his eyes with a gasp and looked around confused. Zaaroc drew his hand to his chest and closed it in a fist.

Jane saw blood drip from it. “Oh my God! Zaaroc are you ok?!” Zaaroc opened his fist and Jane and Thor saw that on Zaaroc's palm was carved a symbol. Two snakes circling each other forming an S and biting the tail of the other. Because of Zaaroc’s superior healing the skin was already beginning to heal. But Thor kept staring at the symbol until Zaaroc’s skin healed completely and it disappeared. 

Jane frowned. “What was that?” She looked between Thor and Zaaroc, but they were both lost in thought. “Hey!” Jane snapped her fingers in Zaaroc’s face. “What happened?”

Zaaroc blinked and shook his head, still looking dazed. “That...that was….that was Loki’s sigil.” He looked at Thor who was now looking at a ring on his hand. It looked familiar to Zaaroc.

Jane’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “Loki’s sigil!! What?!! How is...I mean…..I thought he was dead….how is….is a sigil supposed to be magic? I don’t understand…..”

Zaaroc put his hand forward. Thor looked at him then extended his own hand. The one with the ring on it. Zaaroc studied the ring. “Oh. This is the protection charm Loki had made for you. Where did you find it?”

Thor pulled his hand back. “In Loki’s room. I went there before coming here. I found a message from Loki. I think he recorded it the day he fell off the Bifrost. I also found a letter and this ring in a chest by Loki’s bed.”

Zaaroc frowned. “It assessed me as a threat. The symbol is just a warning. Next time, it will try to kill me. I know about the charm. Loki asked for my opinion on what he should use as a base for his charm. But that was way too powerful for a protection charm though. Let me see it again”

Thor shifted closer to Zaaroc and held out his hand ring facing up. This close Jane could see the carving of Mjolnir on both sides of the stone in the middle. Zaaroc put his hand on top of Thor's keeping some distance so that he did not touch it. His eyes glowed again. This time a faint glow came from the ring too. Zaaroc stayed like that for some time. Then his lips moved silently like he was talking to someone. Jane and Thor looked at each other. Thor leaned in to try and listen to what Zaaroc was saying. Jane tried to read his lips. But couldn’t make out what he was saying.

The ring glowed a little brighter and Zaaroc’s eyes glowed more too in response, the thin marks on his chin and neck also glowed briefly. Then Zaaroc closed his eyes, the ring stopped glowing and Zaaroc pulled his hand back. 

He opened his eyes and looked at Thor and Jane in turn, settling on Thor. “Well I suppose you learn something new everyday. Thor have you had any strange dreams lately?”

Thor frowned in confusion. “What? What does that have to do with anything? What happened just now Zaaroc?”

Zaaroc waved a hand dismissively, “Please just answer my question first and then I’ll tell you”

Thor thought about it. He could not remember his dreams these days. They felt like a memory he had forgotten. But today…. “Yes...I….today I had a dream. I….don’t remember the details….but….in fact what I do remember is pretty strange”

Zaaroc nodded encouragingly so Thor went on, “Um…..all I remember is the **word** remember and uh….Loki. I remember him..well not him...his voice. He was….he was telling me he was real. I could hear Loki’s voice saying he is real”

Jane scrunched up her face in confusion. But Zaaroc had a knowing glint in his eyes that made Thor’s stomach clench. Zaaroc titled his head looking at the ring again. “I advised Loki to use a part of his own sedir in the ring to help anchor the protection spells. What I could never have expected was how much Loki cared. For you. He didn’t just carve out a part of his sedir. He carved out a part of his soul too. A small piece that you now carry. That would stand between you and your enemies.” Zaaroc shook his head. “Typical Loki. He always claimed to hate you but he’s the only one who truly loves you. So much so that he did not even feel it when he gave you a piece of his very soul.”

From beside him Thor could hear Jane gasp at this revelation. But his eyes were glued to the ring. Loki had carved out a piece of his soul and given it to Thor. Without thought. Without hesitation. Never expecting anything in return. Granted if he did not feel it then he probably didn’t know what he had done. But that only made it worse. Loki so cared for Thor that he did not feel a part of his soul come off. 

Then he didn’t even give the ring to Thor. It was gathering dust in his room. Thor thanked all the Norns and the other Gods that he had found the ring. He shuddered to think what would have happened if the ring had fallen in the wrong hands.

“That’s not all there is to it”. Thor looked at Zaaroc. He was looking at him carefully. “What I mean Thor is that it's not just about Loki breaking a piece off his soul. He….it seems that the ring had made a connection between you and Loki. A mental link. One that can be used to communicate with Loki”

Thor’s eyebrows rose in surprise. But… “But Loki is dead!” Jane exclaimed, “Are you saying Thor is being haunted by his dead brother’s ghost?!!”

Zaaroc bit his lip. “Not haunted...not exactly. It just…..it means that there is a link between Loki and Thor that binds their subconscious mind. And Loki may be dead but his soul still lives. That’s what he meant Thor. When he said he was real. He is. The Loki that appears in your dreams is real. His soul is trying to reach you through your dreams. But you keep getting lost in your memories and Loki is not able to communicate with you.”

Thor frowned, “Why would Loki want to communicate? With me of all people. I was…..I mean I wasn’t….” Thor ran a hand through his hair and sighed. “I was not good to him towards the end. I….I told him that he was not worth saving. That there was no hope for him in my heart……” Thor clenched his fists in his lap wishing so badly that he could take everything he said to Loki that day back.

Zaaroc put a hand on Thor’s clenched fists, unclenching them. “You always assume the worst. Especially when it comes to Loki. Maybe you should stop trying to assume what Loki should do and accept what he wants to do. Right now he wants to talk to you.” Zaaroc turned Thor’s hand so that the ring again faced upwards.

He was right. It was not about what Thor wanted. It was about what Loki wanted. And if Loki wanted to talk to Thor. So much so that he was willing to reach through from Valhalla then Thor wasn't going to back out. He would meet Loki halfway. Like he should have been doing all along….

TBC…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time....Thor and Loki finally interact properly....


	18. Meeting (part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of reunions and confessions...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok. *wrings hands nervously* So here it is. The first meeting between Loki and Thor. I tried my best to proof read this. But its entirely possible that I missed somethings. So...I'm sorry for that... If you do see a mistake then let me know and I will correct it.

Inside the Black Castle, Helheim:

Loki got off the bed, tugging his hair in frustration. That idiot!!! One would think it would be easy to talk to Thor what with the mental link and all. But NOOO! As per usual Thor had to make everything difficult. Loki had been trying to talk to him for weeks now. And today was the first time he had managed to manifest as grown up. For some reason Thor kept dreaming of their childhood and everytime Loki tried to contact him, he would be pulled into these memories in the form he had been in when they actually happened. It didn’t help that most of these memories were of a time he and Thor had been close. A time when Thor would look at him, his gaze so full of trust. It was like scrapping an old wound. Loki's heart was always heavier when he remembered that Thor of now would never look at him like that. Would never again feel unconditional love and trust towards Loki.

Loki sighed and looked out the window of his room. After his talk with Hela and Laufey, Loki had become somewhat settled in Helheim. He did not really feel hungry or thirsty or sleepy. Hela said that he had no physical body to feel all those things anymore. Whatever Loki felt was because his mind was expecting to feel it. He had been talking to Laufey, learning about his Jotunn form and powers more and more. He didn’t think of Odin as his father anymore but he couldn’t give that title to Laufey either. Not yet. But it had been easier to approach Laufey than it had ever been to approach Odin.

Laufey was patient with Loki. He didn’t get angry at him. Occasionally Loki would blurt out things he had heard about Laufey or the Jotunn on Asgard. But Laufey never scolded Loki for it. Just looked sad that he couldn’t be there to teach the right things to Loki from the very beginning. Loki was also trying to be more accepting of his Jotunn form. He spent more time as a Jotunn. He was still learning to control the frost touch. It did help that except Gro none of the other residents of the castle reacted in any way when Loki appeared in his Jotun form.

He was beginning to slip. He would unconsciously revert to his Jotun form and not realize it for hours until he saw his reflection or accidentally froze something with his touch. He was also studying the chain Odin had used to bind Hela’s powers. Overtime she had managed to break quite a lot of its links but the ones that prevented her from contacting the outside world were still there. Loki had seen this magic somewhere or more likely read about it but he couldn’t put his finger on where. The chain was definitely linked to Odin that much Loki could tell. The power that came from Odin into the chain had been growing weaker though. It was so slow that Hela and Loki hadn’t picked up on it initially. But the gap in power flow was big enough now that they could sense it. Loki wondered if maybe Odin’s old age was beginning to catch up to him.

Hela was right Odin could not live forever. He would die one day and Loki suspected that when he did the chain would lose all its power and set Hela free. Of course waiting around for it to happen was neither his nor Hela’s style. And besides why should Odin get to die a peaceful death? He had killed so many, caused so much pain, he needed to answer for it, Loki was not willing to let Odin die before that. A knock interrupted Loki’s thoughts.

“Loki?” It was Laufey. He must have come to fetch Loki for his lessons with him. 

“Just a minute”, Loki called back. He fixed his bed and ran a hand through his hair to untangle the knots. He tried to straighten his hair but it was no use. The curls refused to bend to Loki’s will. Loki gave up. It didn’t matter anyways. No one here was going to say anything about Loki’s appearance. Loki opened the door to see Laufey in armor with Vidar beside him also in armor. 

Loki was alert immediately. “Has something happened?”

Laufey laughed, “No. No little frostling, nothing has happened. I just wanted to spar with you today. I can teach you some of the tricks we Jotun use. I thought you might be interested in how we weaponize our ice bending powers.”

Oh. Loki tilted his head studying the armor. “Very well. Lead the way”

Laufey smiled at Loki again before turning around and walking away. Vidar and Laufey led Loki to the training grounds behind the castle. Hela and Loki sparred here regularly. Hela’s fighting style was really something. She had Thor’s brutality and Loki’s fluidity. It was a deadly combination. Loki had yet to gain any foothold whenever they clashed. But it was nice to fight an opponent that did not call Loki’s magic ‘tricks’. No instead Hela used some of her own spells to counteract Loki’s. The last time Loki had felt such camaraderie it had been with his cousin Zaaroc.

But that had been a very long time ago. Loki felt a sudden pang of sadness. He cursed himself. In his quest to please Odin, Loki had pushed away some very good people. People who cared for Loki. He wondered if his cousin mourned his death. Did Zaaroc know Loki was Jotun? Did he still consider Loki as a member of his family? Loki shook his head to expel the thought. It didn’t matter. Loki was here, Zaaroc was probably in Alfheim. For all Loki knew maybe his death had not been made public knowledge. Maybe Zaaroc still thought Loki was imprisoned in Asgard for his attack on Midgard. It was no use pondering over it. Loki could not reach Zaaroc from here. 

“Ok. Let’s start with the basics.” Loki shook his head again and concentrated on what Laufey was saying. He and Vidar were standing in the middle of the ring facing each other. “As I have already explained to you Loki, we Jotun have a natural self defense in our skin. We can use it as a weapon. It is very useful in battle. We also use weapons made of ice. It is easy. We use the moisture in the air around us and use it to conjure ice and shape it in our desired form.”

Loki nodded. Yes Laufey had taught him how to do that. Though Loki’s control was still a bit shaky. Loki conjured his armor too and reverted to his Jotun form. He had changed his armor a bit. He kept the pauldron, vambrace and gauntlet on his shoulders and hands but did away with the breastplate. He did not wear a loincloth like Laufey or Vidar but kept his trousers, with the greaves over them. He also did away with his tunic instead just keeping his long coat. A helm was not needed for a simple sparring session. 

Laufey kept speaking. “Our touch is often enough to break most weapons. It does not work on Uru of course as Uru weapons are forged with the power of a star. Our frost touch is nothing compared to it. Our bones are also stronger and denser than most other beings in the nine realms. So in most attacks we use it to our advantage.”

Laufey demonstrated by attacking Vidar focusing on places where it is easier to access the bones, on the joints and the ribs. Loki winced when he heard Vidar’s bones creak as Laufey put pressure on them. But then Vidar formed an ice sword and Laufey barely escaped it being plunged in his abdomen.

Laufey formed ice spikes on his hand and went to punch Vidar but Vidar used one hand to divert the punch and with his other hand once again tried to plunge an ice sword in Laufey’s abdomen. Ice covered Laufey’s stomach protecting it. Loki watched them carefully. Aesir trained their warriors to use brute force the most. It had never suited Loki. He favored the elves style who were more fluid in their movements. Laufey and Vidar were using a combination of both of these. Hela’s way of fighting made sense now. She must have been trained by Laufey. Laufey motioned for Loki to take Vidar’s place.

Loki tried to conjure a sword like Laufey had taught him. He managed it for a few seconds but then could not maintain the shape. Loki frowned, disappointed. 

“It’s ok, little frostling. It will come to you with time. For now let us use the weapons you use normally. It will be good practice for controlling your frost touch” Laufey looked at him encouragingly

It was such a contrast to his tutors on Asgard. They would often look down their nose at Loki when he couldn’t manage to do what they were teaching on the first attempt. And then they would compare him to Thor. Until Zaaroc showed up in Asgard Loki had lived under the impression that he was terrible at sparring. It was Zaaroc who had realized that all Loki needed was a little patience and a different technique. And then of course Frigga had picked up on it and continued to teach Loki when Zaaroc returned back home.

Loki summoned a dagger and concentrated on not freezing it. He charged at Laufey. Laufey blocked his attack and used Loki’s momentum to turn him and conjured a dagger of his own. Loki’s concentration slipped and the dagger in his hand shattered as his frost touch went out of control. Laufey let Loki go. 

“You are focusing too hard Loki. The frost touch is a part of your senses. Don’t think so hard. Go with your instinct. Your body will respond automatically” Laufey explained to Loki 

Loki nodded. Right. It was just another sense. Like his eyesight or his sense of smell. Loki went to summon another dagger but a sharp pain in his head made him drop to his knees.

“Loki!” Laufey caught Loki so that his knees did not hit the ground too hard. It was his link to Thor. Someone was trying to access Thor’s mind going for his sedir. Loki growled. How dare they! He pushed his power in the link pushing the unknown presence out. Loki opened his eyes. Laufey was looking at him worriedly. Vidar was looking over his shoulder frowning. 

“Loki! Are you alright? What happened?” Laufey ran his hands all over Loki checking for any wounds.

Loki pushed his hands away gently. “Stop it. I am fine. It was the connection to Thor. Someone was trying to enter his mind. They tripped the protective spells in the ring and accidentally reached out to me through the connection. I pushed them out.” 

Laufey frowned. It was the only point of contention between them. Laufey did not like the mental link between Loki and Thor. Especially after hearing how Odin had sentenced Loki to a lifetime of solitary confinement. Loki had to reluctantly tell Laufey that Thor had not protested Odin’s sentence and had come to Loki only after Frigga died and only because he needed Loki’s help. Needless to say Laufey’s dislike of Thor had only gotten worse. He felt this mental link was a bondage for Loki. Never mind that it had formed unintentionally. 

Loki stood up brushing the dirt from his trousers. He felt something nudge his mind again. It was coming through the link with Thor again. But this time the presence did not try to enter Loki’s mind only nudged his walls asking for permission. In the background Loki heard Laufey tell Vidar to call Hela. Loki ignored them. This presence felt familiar. Loki nudged it back and gasped. Zaaroc! It was Zaaroc! Loki let him in, closing his eyes.

When Loki opened his eyes, he was in a field. In front of him was Zaaroc. Loki couldn’t believe his eyes. Zaaroc smiled at him and stepped forward wrapping his arms around Loki. Loki hugged him back. It had been too long since he had seen his cousin and friend. Loki looked at his hands, he was still in his Jotun form. He was beginning to freeze Zaaroc’s clothes. He stepped out of Zaaroc’s embrace immediately. Zaaroc looked at him confused. Loki reverted to his Aesir form.

“I’m sorry. I...I was….I didn’t realize…..Did I hurt you?” Loki stammered unsure how Zaaroc would react to a frost giant embracing him.

“Hurt me?” Zaaroc still looked confused, then his face cleared. “Oh Loki no. No not at all.” He stepped forward again hugging Loki once more. Loki tried to wriggle away but Zaaroc tightened his hold. “No. Don’t you dare. I don’t care. I don’t care if your skin is blue or pink or green. You are my friend. We may not be related by blood but it doesn’t matter to me. I would be honored to call you brother. It doesn’t matter Loki. What you are doesn’t change who you are. I am not going to shun you just because you are Jotun. Don’t be absurd.”

Loki tried to will the tears forming in his eyes away. He had been so scared. When he first found out he was Jotun he had been so scared of what everyone would think. He had tried talking to Frigga but it hadn’t consoled him. He had been too afraid to approach Thor and then afterwards there had never been a chance to talk about it with him. Loki had no idea if the rest of his supposed family would accept him if they knew he was Jotun. He knew for a fact that if Thor’s friends ever found out they would not hesitate to kill him. It was the first time someone from before had told Loki it was ok to be Jotun.

Zaaroc pulled back and looked at Loki. “Besides if we go by that logic, we would have to shun Thor too. He is clearly a rock troll disguised as a prince. Have you seen how he eats? His table manners are atrocious.”

Loki laughed. It was good to see that Zaaroc still made fun of Thor every chance he got. Some things never changed. Loki shook his head stepping back, Zaaroc let him go.

“How are you even here?” Zaaroc had tapped the connection between Loki and Thor. If he had done so, it would mean he was currently with Thor. Loki was curious. Zaaroc and Thor usually avoided each other like the plague.

Zaaroc sighed, “Well surprisingly, everybody’s favourite idiot has been behaving quite against his nature lately. First he refused a hunt with the warriors three and Sif. Then I heard he left Asgard and went to Midgard to supposedly marry his mortal love if the dwarves are to be believed and then out of nowhere he contacted Uncle Freyr saying he wanted to talk. So Uncle sent me to Midgard to fetch him. He was at Dr. Foster’s house but I don’t think they are together anymore. And would you believe it? I found him reading a book about Jotun. He was even planning to go visit some Jotun ruins found on Midgard.”

Loki’s eyebrows climbed higher with each word that Zaaroc spoke. Thor wanted to visit some Jotun ruins? He was reading about the Jotun? Thor? He couldn’t believe it. 

Zaaroc read the skepticism on Loki’s face. “Yes I know it’s hard to believe. But….I think he regrets it. What he did on Jotunheim. I think ever since he found out you were Jotun Thor’s perspective of the Jotun has changed. A lot. I think he wants to make amends”

Loki scoffed. Thor changing because of him was even less believable. For as long as Loki could remember Thor only ever listened to Loki when it suited him. There was no way he would change his opinion of the Jotun solely because he realized that the man he had called brother was one of them. And Thor never regretted anything. He was the golden son. He could do no wrong. He would not know regret if it slapped him in the face.

Zaaroc bit his lip. “I can’t believe I’m saying this. But Loki, I think you should give Thor the benefit of the doubt. If he says he wants to learn about the Jotun, then we should support it. Norns know it would be good for Thor to seek genuine knowledge instead of the lies passed around in Asgard.”

Loki hunched his shoulders. He sighed. Zaaroc was right. Besides hadn’t that been Loki’s plan all along? To tell Thor about the Jotun? If he wanted to convince Thor he was going to have to believe that Thor would listen. Otherwise it was never going to work. But that still did not answer Loki’s question.

“But you were trying to reach Thor’s sedir. Why?” Loki wanted to know why Zaaroc was messing with Thor’s sedir. It was too much of a raw power to handle.

“I...uh….I was trying to assess his sedir channels to see if Thor can manifest some physical Jotun traits” Zaaroc explained quietly.

Loki was sure he had misheard. He looked at Zaaroc trying to read his face. Realization dawned on him. “You know. You know. About Bestla and Angrboda and Hela….”

Zaaroc looked sheepish. “Uh..yes? I mean yes. I know. Freyr made sure that I did. That most of the people in Alfheim did. He did not want to hide the truth. Despite the risk, he made sure that the people of Alfheim did not fall victim to Odin’s manipulations.”

Well it seems you learn something everyday. Loki had no idea Freyr would take such a big risk. But it made things easier for Loki. It would mean that whatever he told Thor could be verified by Freyr and the other people on Alfheim.

Zaaroc twisted his hands. “There is one more thing. Freyr reached out to the other rulers of the other realms. It seems Odin had been using the Casket of Ancient Winters to boost his sedir. But….it’s not there anymore. He has been growing weaker. They all wanted to attack Asgard and take over it. Freyr, Freya and Farbauti convinced them that we needed to tell Thor the truth. And that a coup would be a better option. They believe that the people of Asgard need to be reminded of their heritage. If we did so, the people themselves would rebel against Odin.”

Loki perked up at the mention of Farbauti. His birth mother. She was still alive. Loki wondered if she knew he had been alive and in Asgard all along. Loki thought about it. It had merit. This plan of having the people rebel against Odin. Surely there were some people who remembered their Jotun ancestors. Odin could not have erased everyone, no matter how powerful he was. Someone, somewhere always escaped. But Zaaroc was right. The first step should be to convince Thor and for that Loki needed to talk to him. It should be easier now. With Zaaroc there to guide him, Thor should be able to better understand the bond.

Loki nodded to Zaaroc. “They are right. This could work. But I need to talk to Thor. If he regrets his actions as you say he does maybe he will accept the truth better if it came from my mouth. I need to talk to him about the bond about everything. Can you help?”

Zaaroc nodded. “Yes of course Loki. I can teach Thor how to communicate with you. I think we should end this conversation. It must strain you to maintain this for so long. I assume you are in Helheim right? That is where most non Aesir beings go when they die.”

Loki nodded. “Yes. Laufey is here as well and of course there is Hela. I cannot tell you how shocking it was to learn about her.”

Zaaroc looked at him sympathetically. “I know. For all that Odin claims to be noble, he is the most rotten of them all.” Zaaroc sighed. “Well then. I suppose I shall be leaving now. I have to teach Thor the intricacies of dream communication and mental bonds. I am not looking forward to it at all. If all goes well and I do not murder Thor in frustration, then you should be able to talk to him tonight itself. Does Helheim have nights?”

Loki chuckled at Zaaroc’s exaggeration. Despite having been robbed of basic training by Odin during their childhood, Thor could actually pick up on the intricacies of sedir quite well when he paid attention. “It is always night in Helheim. Just nudge the bond again when you are ready and I will be there.”

Zaaroc nodded and then he faded from view. Loki closed his eyes again. When he opened them he found that he was back in his bed, Hela sitting on a chair beside him reading a book and Laufey pacing in front of the bed.

Hela noticed that he was awake. “Ah there you are. I was beginning to think you were lost in the mindscape again. Was it Thor? I could sense someone accessed the bond.”

Laufey was immediately beside Loki, half on the bed. “Are you ok? I was so worried! You were standing beside me and then your eyes glowed and then you dropped unconscious! I had to carry you to your room and you were completely unresponsive!”

Hela rolled her eyes. “Yes and then he fetched me and by fetch I mean dragged me here. I told him it was the bond. But he was still worried as if you had gone to fight a war.”

Laufey opened his mouth to protest but Loki interrupted them. “It wasn’t Thor. It was my cousin Zaaroc. Well I suppose he is not really my cousin, but I still think of him as such. He was with Thor and sensed the bond. He wanted to speak to me.”

Hela looked at him one eyebrow raised. Laufey looked curious too. Loki explained all that Zaaroc had told him. About Thor, about Freyr and the other rulers. About what they had all decided. Laufey looked extremely sad at the mention of Farbauti.

“That is a surprising amount of progress for the amount of time that has passed since your death Loki. It seems my little brother deserves more credit than I gave him. This will definitely make things easier for us.”

Hela had taken to referring to Thor as little brother. It was jarring for Loki. He was used to Thor being the older sibling. Laufey looked at his hands. “This Zaaroc…..he said Farbauti wants to tell Thor the truth? She contacted Freyr?”

Loki nodded. “Yes that is what he said. We did not have time to speak at length. But Zaaroc said Freyr, Freya and Farbauti all agree that Thor needs to know the truth. They believe they can turn the people of Asgard against Odin.”

Hela hummed. “It is possible. A lot of Aesir have Jotun ancestors. There was a time when our realms were so close, they were practically one kingdom. Odin could not have silenced all of them. It is possible that they simply chose to bide their time until they could speak up. It is doable. But we need Thor’s support. If the heir to the throne protests too it would make a lot of difference”

Laufey nodded. “Yes. It is time that the Aesir remember their roots. It is no good killing Odin if his people will pick up where he left off. We need a complete change.”

“Good we are all in agreement then.” Hela clapped her hands, standing up. “Well then I have to go scare some nasty souls off. I will see you at dinner. If Thor contacts before that do call me. I cannot enter anyone’s dreams but I can help you channel power from Helheim and sustain the dream longer” Hela waved as she went.

Laufey stood too. “I suppose you should rest. You will need your strength. The bond relies mostly on you. Reaching across the natural borders can be taxing.” Loki nodded. He did suddenly feel very tired. Maybe he should take a nap. He snuggled under the covers. Laufey smiled at him one last time before closing the door. Loki smiled back, closing his eyes and falling in a dreamless sleep.

Dr. Foster’s House, Puente Antiguo, Midgard:

Thor was lying on the carpet in the living room, his arms crossed over his stomach, his head pillowed by a cushion. Zaaroc was sitting beside him and Jane had moved to the couch so that she was out of their way. After Thor had decided to contact Loki, Zaaroc had insisted that he eat first. Using sedir took energy and Thor had not eaten since morning. Jane had ordered food from Isabela’s diner and they had all eaten in the kitchen. Then they moved back here. Since it was dream communication they were attempting, Thor was lying down. According to Zaaroc it was best that he do this on his own. Zaaroc was only here to guide him and help pull him back if it became too much for Thor.

Jane was still confused a little. Zaaroc had tried to explain the mental link between Thor and Loki. But Jane still did not understand it fully. She just did not get how Loki was able to reach over from one realm to another through the power of his mind alone. She let it go for now. Now Zaaroc was attempting to teach Thor how to access the bond and talk to Loki. It was going surprisingly well. Jane sometimes forgot how smart Thor was despite appearances. Zaaroc joked that it was a lifetime of living with Loki who was prone to stabbing Thor whenever he thought Thor was being particularly stupid. It had compelled Thor to do better in his studies. Jane had been a bit horrified to know that he was in fact not joking about the stabbing. Thor had then told a really odd story about how Loki once transformed into a snake with the sole intention that Thor would pick him up and he could then stab Thor. Jane did not know how to respond to that.

“Ok. Let’s try this now.” Zaaroc’s voice interrupted Jane’s musings. “You understand the basics right? Just imagine a thread. One end is you and the other is Loki. Imagine you are holding it. Follow it and picture Loki holding the other end. Pull it a little. It will alert Loki. You should both be able to meet in the middle.” 

Thor nodded. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Then his brow furrowed. After sometime the ring on Thor’s finger glowed. He found himself in a black room. Thor imagined a thread as Zaaroc had told him. A blue-green thread appeared. It’s one end disappeared inside Thor’s forehead. The other end stretched out in front of Thor extending to an end he couldn’t see. Thor grabbed the thread and tugged it slightly. He felt a weight as if the thread was tied to something. Thor imagined it was tied to Loki. Someone pulled the thread from the other end. Thor closed his eyes and let himself be pulled.

When Thor opened his eyes, he was standing in a field. He turned looking around. The field extended as far as Thor’s eyes could see. The grass was golden coming up to his knees. The sky was clear, it was bright although Thor could not see any Sun in the sky.

“Finally! I was beginning to think you were never going to figure it out, you oaf!” Thor turned around at the sound of the voice. There before him was Loki. He was wearing a green tunic and trousers, his hair was falling to his shoulders, curling at the ends. He had his arms crossed, and was glaring at Thor. “Do you have any idea how long I have been trying to contact you?! But nooo! You kept pulling us into your blasted memories!” Loki was pacing now, waving his arms, yelling at Thor. Like he used to so long ago, every time Thor managed to get hurt during a hunt or spoiled a diplomatic meeting. It was as if he had never died. Thor had no idea he had missed Loki yelling at him so much till now.

“What are you smiling at?!! I am angry!” And now Loki was pouting. He looked adorable. Not that Thor was going to tell him that. He valued his limbs dream or not Loki wouldn’t hesitate to chop them off. Thor schooled his features. Wiping the grin off his face. It wouldn’t do to have Loki stab him a minute after their reunion.

“It’s nothing. I’m just happy to see you! I’m sorry it took me so long to figure this out”, Thor put on his best innocent expression.

Loki looked at him with narrowed eyes, not believing it for one second. But then sadness crept up his features. “You are happy to see me? You? I thought there was no hope for me in your heart. Tell me Thor did you weep over my corpse or did you celebrate that you were finally free of your monstrous brother?”

Thor immediately protested. “Never! I would never celebrate your death! How can you even think that? And you are not monstrous Loki! You never were.”

“Am I not though? The monster Odin told us of when we were children?” Loki took a step back and Thor saw blue veins creep up his neck, blue color chased away the pale of Loki’s skin. He closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them the familiar green had been replaced by a deep red. Thor was surprised by the change but controlled his expression. He knew he had to be very careful. The slightest of misstep would ruin his relationship with Loki

He studied Loki’s features. For it was still Loki. His brother’s skin was blue and his eyes were red. But the expressions were still Loki. Thor studied the marks on Loki’s face. Strangely they suited him. Thor used to think red eyes couldn’t be beautiful but Loki’s shone like rubies. They were even more intense than when they were green. Thor realized that nothing had changed. Not really. In front of him stood Loki. The man he had grown up with. The color of his skin and eyes did not change the person looking through them. Did not change Loki’s soul. His essence. 

Thor took a determined step forward and put his hand on Loki’s shoulder, making sure he looked straight in Loki’s eyes. Loki looked a little startled. “I maintain what I said. You are not monstrous. You never were”

Loki looked away unable to maintain eye contact with Thor. He shrugged Thor’s hand off his shoulder and changed back to his Aesir form. “What changed?”

Thor looked at him confused. Loki elaborated. “You used to hate the Jotun. You followed all of Odin’s words like they were gospel. What changed?”

Thor looked down, running his hand over the blades of golden grass. “He refused to give my brother the funeral he deserved. He spoke of him as if he had always been evil. As if Odin himself had not played a part in his downfall. He called my brother a liar. As if he himself was not the greatest of all liars. He looked down on my brother even though my brother is the reason I’m still alive. I couldn’t bear the hypocrisy, the injustice anymore” Thor clenched his fists grabbing a handful of the grass breaking the blades.

Loki was surprised. Thor never spoke so openly against Odin. He had never thought Thor could harbor so much anger against Odin. But something struck Loki. “He refused to give me a funeral?” Loki knew Odin was a terrible person. But really he hadn’t expected this.

Thor clenched his fists tighter, nails digging into his palm. “Yes. I went to him after defeating Malekith and requested that I be allowed to bring your body home so that you may have a proper farewell. But he said you were a traitor and Asgard did not honor traitors. I had Heimdall deposit me on Svartalfheim and buried your body there like the humans do. Marking it with a small stone memorial. I didn't even have a grave offering befitting your rank. Only a few gold coins and the pen Jane had given. It was….it was the best I could do.” Thor looked gutted.

“Jotuns bury their dead too.” Loki told him quietly. “They do not offer grave offerings. They believe that a burial must be done from the heart. All else is immaterial; it would not carry over to the next world. If I had been raised on Jotunheim, they would have buried me too like you did. You did the right thing. Unknowingly you buried me like my ancestors used to bury their dead. I do not consider myself Aesir anymore. I am glad I was not given a funeral like them.”

Thor looked like he wanted to protest. But then he frowned. “How do you know how the Jotun bury their dead? I read every book on Asgard about the Jotun none of them have any information on their customs.”

Loki smiled. “Well it would seem that the Norns have decided to have mercy on me in my death. Where I am, Laufey, my birth father’s soul is too. In death we have put aside the enmity of life. He has been teaching me about the Jotun.”

Thor was surprised. “King Laufey is there with you in Valhalla? I did not know Jotun could reside there too after death.”

Loki frowned. “Thor. I am not in Valhalla.”

Thor was shocked “What do you mean?!! You died a warrior’s death! You have every right to ascend to Valhalla!! If not there, then where is your soul?!!”

Loki crossed his arms and tilted his head, “I suppose dying in battle  **is** a warrior’s death. But I am not Aesir. I cannot ascend to Valhalla. I’m in Helheim the realm of the dead, like most people of my kind”

Thor did not know what to say, “But…..then…..If I died…...Are you saying that if I died I would never see you? That we could not reunite in the afterlife?” That thought was horrible. An eternity without Loki. Knowing where he was but unable to reach him.

Loki furrowed his brow as if this had not occurred to him till now, “No…..that’s not…..No. No. If you died I would never see you…..” Loki looked at Thor, his eyes wide the same apprehension that Thor felt reflected on his face.

Then he narrowed his eyes, “But you are  **not dying** anytime soon.” Loki jabbed one finger in Thor’s chest. “I mean it Thor. If you…..if you do something  **stupid** like….like taking on a Bilgesnipe on your own or…..or going to battle alone and get yourself killed then I swear…..I swear I will find a way to drag your stupid soul from Valhalla and throw it in the void!”

Loki was in Thor’s face now. His face twisted in anger. Thor looked away. The thought had occurred sometime between Odin slandering Loki and his friends acting as if nothing was amiss. Expecting Thor to be hale and hearty and happy. The thought had crept up in Thor’s mind, that maybe he should join his mother and brother. Especially in the first month after Loki and Frigga’s death. When every rock and stone reminded him of them. But Thor had known that his mother and brother would never accept him if he gave up. If he ended his own life they would never forgive him. So, he continued to live…..

“Thor! Are you listening to me?! I mean it! If you...if you do something like that I will never forgive you! I will hate you till the end of time!! I swear I will!!” Loki grabbed the collar of Thor’s shirt and shook him, as if he could shake the thought from Thor’s mind.

Loki let Thor go and he stumbled a little. “Ugh! Now we are completely off topic! We don’t have that much time. I need to tell you so many things!”

Thor tried to focus. “What do you mean we don’t have enough time? We are in the dreamscape right? The one shared by both our conscious built by the bond? We should have all the time we need”

Loki ran a hand through his hair. “Yes technically we are in a shared dreamscape and it is built by the bond. But the bond itself formed because of a piece of my soul. As a result most of its power comes from me.  **I** sustain this dreamscape and I can’t do it for a very long time. It is exhausting to do so from Helheim. That is why you were able to pull us in your memories. It was difficult for me to control where we went when you kept wanting to access your memories. It would have taken more power than I could afford to expend to drag you somewhere without your permission” 

Now that Thor looked carefully, Loki did look a little tired. “Is there something we can do to change it? Can I help in any way? Lend some of my power?”

Loki scoffed. “No. At least not unless you are willing to part with a piece of  **your** soul. And besides I’m not sure what kind of effect that would have. THIS bond was formed accidentally if you recall”

Thor stepped forward in Loki’s space again. “You assume I would be unwilling. But I am willing. If it means the bond will not drain your power so much I will gladly give a piece of my soul. Will you at least think about it? I will do as you want”

Loki looked at Thor and nodded a little dazed. Already he was thinking of what a bond made with both his and Thor’s souls would be like. It would be...intimate He brought himself back to the present. He was here for a purpose and it wasn’t daydreaming. 

Thor was standing too close, Loki took a step back. “Um...fine...I will...think on it.” Thor nodded satisfied. Loki gathered his thoughts. “Right then. I….Zaaroc told me you contacted Uncle Freyr?”

Thor nodded, “Yes. I actually wanted to ask him about the Jotun. I…..remembered something….a memory of him and mother arguing back when he used to visit Asgard. He was upset about the way Odin spoke of the Jotun. I...I wanted….needed an opinion of the Jotun that was not influenced by Asgard. So I thought maybe I could ask him….”

Loki was surprised. He did not remember Freyr visiting Asgard. He had been too young. It was good that Thor was seeking him out. After everything Laufey and Hela had told him. Freyr really was the best source of the truth for Thor at the moment. He knew all that Odin had done. 

“It’s a good start. You are correct in thinking that Freyr would have a different opinion.” Loki hesitated, “Laufey told me that Freyr and him used to be allies at least until Jotunheim’s war with Asgard.”

Thor froze. “Really?” It was hard to reconcile the cold and bitter king Thor had met on Jotunheim with how casually Loki seemed to speak of him now. It was even harder to imagine that Jotunheim could have had allies in the past.

“Yes. Zaaroc also told me you were reading some book about the Jotun? I thought all the books on Asgard had incomplete knowledge.” Loki wanted to know what Thor had found in his research. Zaaroc did not have the time to tell him. In the back of his mind, Loki felt the drain of keeping the dreamscape stable. He would stay as long as possible. These things needed to be discussed very patiently

“The book was not from Asgard. It was from Midgard. About the myths the humans have. I read it to see if maybe they might have some myths about the Jotun that differed from the stories on Asgard. Jane came up with the idea and Erik found a historian who lent me the book”

Loki knew he had liked Jane Foster for a reason. He wanted to hug her and thank her for her brilliant input. Loki was glad Thor found someone who had some competence. It was a shame mortals had such short lives. Jane was such an improvement over Sif. Loki hated the thought that Sif might one day be queen of Asgard. She was not suited to the role at all. He pushed down the feeling of envy that bubbled everytime Loki thought of Thor settling down. Finding a woman perhaps from Alfheim or Vanaheim or maybe reciprocating Sif’s feelings and marrying her. Having children that would be like him. A family to capture all of Thor’s time and attention. Loki slowly fading from his life and mind till he was gone completely.

Loki pushed those thoughts away. “Oh. Was it of any help? Did you find something worthwhile?”

Thor nodded, “Yes! Apparently there are some ruins on Midgard believed to have been left behind by the Jotun. I have been preparing to go there to examine them myself.”

It could be the house Laufey had told Loki he had built on Midgard so long ago. At least it survived. Though Loki was not sure if it would do any good to examine an old house. “That is good. Anything else? Any information about Jotun customs? The people? Anything?” Loki wanted to know what he had to work with

Thor bit his lip. “I did read the genealogy of Ymir. It...it said grandmother Bestla had been his daughter…..”

Loki’s eyebrows rose in surprise. There was a book on Midgard that had such detailed information on the bloodlines of Jotunheim? He would have to ask Laufey just how much information he had passed on to the mortals during his stay on Midgard. But this was good. This was very good. Thor looked unsure about what he had read. Loki saw his chance. “It is correct Thor. Bestla was the sister of Bergelmir, my grandfather. And it explains so much. Think about it. Asgard has so little information on Bestla. Absolutely no description of her looks and no paintings or murals. It is as if someone erased her. Or tried to hide the truth”

Loki could see the thought was taking root in Thor. He kept speaking. “And you remember our tutor Arne? Remember how he would always change the topic when we asked how Bor met Bestla? Why do you think he did that Thor? It was because he had been told not to reveal anything about her. He had been silenced like so many others.”

Loki had thought long and hard. About his childhood. About all the little clues. And there had been so many clues. Hindsight was a beautiful thing sometimes. It allowed Loki to see what he had missed. All the little pieces that had been brushed off because they had no context.

Thor looked down, his fists clenched again. He remembered now. Arne had been their history tutor. And indeed he never properly answered any question about Bestla. No one did. Not Odin. Not even his mother. She just looked sad and said Bestla had been a great queen and a wonderful mother. They lied. All of them. To him. To Loki. About everything. His whole life they lied to him. Thor wondered if there was any memory of his childhood which was not shadowed by lies. 

Loki covered Thor’s hand with his own, opening his fingers so that his nails did not dig into the skin of his palm. Thor twined their fingers. Loki’s slim hand engulfed by his much larger one. 

“I know. It is difficult. It feels like everything is a lie. Like your whole life was just some fantasy. Like you were a puppet. Talking, walking, thinking what Odin wanted. What he deemed right. Like he allowed you to live on his golden realm only as long as you never questioned him. Never sought to define your own identity.” Thor didn’t think Loki was talking about Thor anymore. Loki kept speaking lost in thought. “And then when you stumbled on the truth. When you found the depth of his lies, he shunned you. Called you a monster. Labeled you a traitor. He threw you in a hole to rot until the end of time. He...” 

Loki trailed off unable to finish. Thor used the hand still clasped with Loki’s and pulled him into his arms. Holding his brother tight. As if he could heal all the broken pieces in Loki if he held him tight enough.

“I hate him. I hate him. I hate what he did. I hate him Thor. He….he ruined my life. He stole me from my home, from my people and then...tossed me aside when he couldn’t control me anymore. When I found out the truth. And I just keep thinking what if. What if he had never found me? What if I had grown on Jotunheim? Would I have been different? Would I feel loved? Would I still have ended up in the void? But I have no answers Thor. Odin stole the life I should have had away from me. He stole my life and still I was the one who was shunned. I am the one called a monster, traitor. It’s not fair. It’s not fair. I deserve justice. I deserve to be heard.” 

Loki was sobbing. Thor held him tighter. For the first time since his ruined coronation, Thor felt rage. Overpowering like he had that day. He wanted to grab Odin by the neck and demand answers. He wanted to cast him down from the throne. A throne Odin did not deserve. Thor was going to make sure he paid

Loki quieted and pulled back. Rubbing his face hurriedly. “I’m sorry. I..I don’t know what came over me.” 

Thor let his arms fall to his side. “It’s alright Loki. You needed to let your feelings out. We never really talked about everything that happened.” Thor paused, he needed to say this correctly. “You should know, I don’t agree. With Odin. With what he did. Lying to you about your heritage. He had no right to keep that knowledge from you. And I’m sorry. For the part I played. For never standing up for you. For letting people mock you. For letting our friends belittle you. For chasing away Zaaroc. For pushing you in a corner till you were forced to use extreme measures just to get me to listen. You should never have felt like I wouldn’t listen to you. It was my fault. I made you feel like you didn’t matter. When you are the one that matters the most. I wish I could go back everyday. I wish I could change all those moments. Moments where you were cast aside. And for what? Me?” 

Thor scoffed, “Because I am so perfect?” Thor rolled his eyes. “As if. I couldn’t even swallow my pride long enough to ignore one stupid insult. I was always itching for a fight. Offended so easily at the slightest of things. I knew nothing about the treaties we had. I did not study the law properly. I didn't even attend the council meetings sincerely. I would have driven Asgard to ruin if I had ascended to the throne. And there was no one who was willing to tell me I was wrong. No one but you and I pushed you away.” Thor shook his head. “No wonder our visit to Jotunheim ended in disaster. What else could have been expected of me?”

Loki was sure he was gaping. But he couldn’t seem to close his mouth. These were words he had longed to hear from Thor but never thought he would. Most of his early adulthood Loki spent wishing that Thor would speak for him. That Thor would assure him that his place in Thor’s life was secure. That Thor would always listen to Loki. But Thor never said anything. That was the problem. The people talked behind Loki’s back, their ‘friends’ mocked him openly and Thor never said anything. It hurt Loki.

Eventually he pulled away. From the people, from their friends, from Thor. The last one physically pained Loki. But what other choice was there? It was difficult to be in the presence of someone who did not want you there. Especially when Loki realized the depth of his feelings for Thor. Feelings that Thor could never return. It stung and so Loki did what he did best. He ran. He pushed those feelings down and covered them with jests and jibes and mischief. He ignored them hoping they would disappear. They didn’t but Loki became adept at pushing them away.

Now, they overwhelmed Loki again. This was the Thor he had been missing. Thor who could be dense and oblivious but who could in the same moment shock you with his honesty. Who did not hesitate to admit his faults, did not hide them when he realized they were there. This Thor had been lost somewhere in the prince that Odin had moulded. Loki had mourned him on many lonely nights. Had wondered if he would ever see him again.

“I’m sorry too!” Loki blurted. Thor blinked at him. Loki cleared his throat. “I am sorry too. I should have tried harder. I should have tried harder to get you to listen to me. I shouldn’t have lied about Odin dying when you were banished. I don’t even remember what I was thinking. All I wanted to do was prove to Odin that I was worthy too. And if...if you knew about the Odinsleep, you would have pleaded to return and then I would have lost my chance. Which was ridiculous because Odin himself ordered us to break all ties with you and mother handed the throne to me and you were still mortal. It wasn’t like you could have ascended to the throne even if you did return. I...I was so confused by the revelation of me being Jotun and…”

Loki shrunk in on himself looking down. Thor gently grasped his chin and pulled his face up. “And?”

Loki swallowed, “And I was scared that if you found out I was Jotun, you would try to kill me. You said you wanted to destroy all of them…..what would you have done if you had known I was one of them. I couldn’t take the risk. Not before I had a chance to prove myself. So I lied to you and then later sent the Destroyer after you to keep you occupied. Just until I could prove myself. Just to buy some time.” Loki pushed Thor’s hand away and sat down his head in his hands. “I don’t know what I was thinking. I just couldn’t sort my thoughts. Couldn’t get them to make sense.”

Thor was reminded of what Jane had said about Loki having a mental breakdown. She had later explained that when people suffered a mental breakdown they often found it difficult to handle their emotions. That they made irrational jumps in logic as their mind tried to make sense of the emotional overload they were experiencing. Thor remembered how Loki had looked on the Bifrost. Crying and angry at the same time. How he had attacked Thor with none of the finesse he usually had. Just trying to stop Thor and in the same breath saying anything and everything to goad him.

Thor wished Asgard had some system of helping people who were suffering from mental disorders like Jane had explained Midgard did. She had said that even their laws had different punishments for people who had committed crimes and had poor mental health. That such people could not be put in the same category as the normal criminals. Some were even set free as their actions were deemed not their own especially if the breakdown of mental health were brought on by the actions of someone else. Thor was sure that on Midgard, Odin would have been held more responsible for Loki’s actions than Loki himself. He was the main cause of Loki’s breakdown though other people on Asgard did not help matters especially Thor’s so called friends.

Thor sat beside Loki and pulled him in a hug again. Stroking his hair like he used to when they were children. “I am sorry. I am so sorry you had no one to go to. I am sorry for all the pointless hatred I held for the Jotun. I regret it. I regret what I did. I wish I could change it. But I can’t. No one can. I know you regret your actions too Loki. And you paid for them. When you fell into the void. Something happened there, didn't it? Someone found you. Someone who was cruel to you. Someone who pushed you to break even more”

Loki stiffened in Thor’s arms. Thor kept stroking his hair. “It’s alright. You don’t have to tell me everything right this moment. I just want you to know that I am here to listen if you ever want to speak about it. I know you weren’t yourself when you attacked Midgard. I realize it now. I regret that I did not realize it sooner. Maybe I could have spoken in your favor to Odin.”

Loki shook his head, he looked up at Thor without breaking out of his embrace. “I doubt Odin would have listened. He only does what he wants.”

Thor stroked Loki’s cheek. “But I should have tried anyway. I did try to visit but Odin had ordered the guards to alert him if I was even seen at the dungeon doors. And then he kept sending me off realm. Not giving me enough time to find a way to sneak into the dungeons. That the warriors three and Sif refused to help me in this matter made things all the more difficult”

Loki rested his head back on Thor’s shoulder. “I did not know that. I thought you forgot me. Left me”

Thor shook his head. “No. Never. I am sorry for what I said. I am sorry you felt like that. That I made you feel like that. I should have tried harder. Taken a stand.”

Loki buried his head in Thor’s neck. “Let’s just say we both made mistakes and move on from it.”

Loki’s breath brushed Thor’s neck as he spoke. Thor shivered. They both froze realizing how close they were at the same time. Loki pulled back and stood up hurriedly. The moment broke.

Thor followed a little slowly. “Yes. Let’s….let’s put the past behind us.” They both looked at each other, unsure what to say. Then Loki swayed a little. Thor caught him. “Loki! Are you alright? What is it?”

Loki straightened. “I….I think I need to go back. I feel….I feel tired….” Loki’s eyes were closing, he was swaying again. Thor panicked. He did not know what to do. He caught Loki again and he leaned against Thor heavily. Loki mumbled something. Thor tried to catch his words. Suddenly, the air a few meters away from them shimmered. The shape of a man formed and slowly solidified. Thor gaped. It was Laufey 

“Loki! I heard your call! You need to return immediately. You have been gone too long!” Laufey caught Thor’s gaze and narrowed his eyes. Thor held his ground. 

Laufey stepped towards them and reached for Loki. Thor tightened his hold but Loki reached towards Laufey too. Thor had no choice but to let him go. Laufey cradled Loki’s much smaller frame to him. His gaze softened. He looked very much like Thor’s mother when she would look at Thor. He brushed Loki’s hair out of his face. As soon as he touched Loki, his Aesir form melted and he was back in his Jotun form

“You have been here too long, little frostling. You have drained too much power. Come we must return. You can visit the boy anytime now that he has figured this out. There is no need to rush through everything today itself.”

If someone had told Thor a few years ago that a Jotun can feel love. That they care for their children just like the Aesir do, he would have laughed in their face and told them that it was not possible. That the Jotun were monsters. They did not feel anything. But now looking at Laufey speak to Loki so gently, looking at the love he clearly had for Loki, Thor would fight anyone who called the Jotun monsters ever again.

Loki nodded at Laufey and then looked at Thor. “See you soon again?”, he spoke, his voice weak.

Thor stepped up to them. Ignoring Laufey’s burning gaze and focusing on Loki, “Of course. Think about what I said. About me sharing the load with the bond. I assume that you will be here whenever I nudge the bond?” Loki nodded. “Very well. I shall contact you again in two days. You might recover before that, but it is better to err on the side of caution. Too long have I taken your well being for granted. I will do so no more.” Loki looked touched by that.

Thor stepped back. Laufey was looking at him appraisingly now. Thor met his gaze head on. He wasn’t going to pretend that he had not made mistakes but he was not going to let Laufey intimidate him either. Laufey smirked. “See you soon Prince Thor. I have a feeling we shall meet again” 

Loki and Laufey disappeared. The ground tilted. The dreamscape became unstable now that Loki was gone. Thor could feel another presence pulling him. It must be Zaaroc trying to pull him back to Midgard. Thor closed his eyes and let himself be pulled…

TBC….

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there it is! Loki and Thor meet and have a talk. A real talk. I know it was not a lot of progress on the whole Thor needs to know the truth about Odin and Asgard part of the plot but there were somethings that Thor and Loki needed to talk about that were more important and long overdue....


	19. Puente Antiguo (part 5)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of unbelievable coincidences.....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took long because I was super busy. A trend that will probably continue for the next few chapters...but I will try to be consistent with the update schedule...

Thor was standing in the kitchen in front of the stove, contemplating what he should make for breakfast. He was banned from all electronics by Jane after he nearly caused a fire when he attempted to bake bread yesterday. He had not known that even the oven ran on electricity. He had only wanted to help. But his powers reacted very badly with all the equipment the humans had invented. Zaaroc had only laughed.

It had been a day since he contacted Loki. He was planning to contact him again tonight. He had told Zaaroc about his idea of using his own power so that the burden of the bond did not fall completely on Loki. Zaaroc said the same thing Loki had. Thor would have to give up a piece of his soul and that he was not sure how that would go. The bond that existed currently was an accident, unintentional. Zaaroc also pointed out that if Thor joined a piece of his soul, then the mental link might upgrade to a full soul bond which was very very invasive. Thor insisted he wouldn’t mind. But Zaaroc said he needed to think it over and keep in mind that maybe Loki would not want a full soul bond. That had shut Thor up.

“I don’t think staring at it is going to turn it on, Thor. You need to turn the nob remember? We just learned this yesterday, you can’t have forgotten it already”, Zaaroc was leaning against the door frame.

Thor rolled his eyes. He and Zaaroc were getting along better than he had expected but Zaaroc did not let any opportunity to make fun of Thor pass him by. “I know how it works. I was only wondering what to make.”

“Don’t bother, we can just go down to the diner and eat there. Jane left very early. Apparently something occurred to her that she needed to verify immediately. She is at the lab”

“Oh. I was hoping to surprise her. She has been very kind to me. I wanted help around the house more.”

“I wanted to ask….you and Jane are not together anymore are you? What happened? I heard rumors that you were going to marry her. Especially after the fight with Malekith”

“No… we realized that we were better suited as friends. Jane’s experience on Asgard was very unpleasant. It highlighted the differences between us. The disparity in life span being the biggest one. I don’t think we really knew each other well enough to marry though. Where did you even hear that?”

“The dwarves. We heard you left for Midgard a few weeks ago and the dwarves are convinced it is because you intend to take Jane as your mate. You can’t blame them. You have never shown any interest in any person for long. It’s been close to three years since you met Jane and you still sought her out. That’s all the fuel the grapevine needed. It was either Jane or well….Sif.” Zaaroc shrugged.

Thor frowned. “Sif is just a friend. I do not feel that way about her. I never took you for one to listen to gossip.”

“Sif is not gossip. Please tell me that in all the centuries you spent as her ‘friend’ you noticed at least once that she wants your relationship to be more. Even you can’t be that oblivious Thor.”

Thor rolled his shoulders, uncomfortable with the conversation now. He had noticed that Sif wanted more. But..it was not possible for Thor to return her feelings. Or anyone’s feelings. Thor had realized a long time ago that there was really only one person he was interested in romantically. But that person would never return his feelings. So Thor avoided relationships. Occasionally seeking pleasure but never tying himself to anyone.

“I do not feel that way about her.” Thor said quietly. “I thought it was obvious.”

Zaaroc sighed. “It is. But I don’t think Sif wants to accept it. She keeps hoping you will change your mind one day. I pity her really. She would be better off if she just moved on. But I suppose you can’t convince someone who doesn’t want to be convinced.”

Zaaroc and Thor stood in silence contemplating. Thor sighed. “Come on. If we are going to eat at the diner, we best get going. I am hungry”

Zaaroc and Thor grabbed their jackets and locked the door behind them. They walked over to the diner. Thor smiled at Isabela as they entered. He and Zaaroc picked a table in the corner by the window. There were very few people in the diner. But it was better to pick a place where they could talk without being overheard. 

Isabela walked over to them and took their order. She was still surprised at how much Thor could eat. She poured Thor coffee while Zaaroc stuck to water. They waited for their food to be served.

Thor noted how at ease Zaaroc was on Midgard. “You come here often?”

Zaaroc looked at him confused. “On Midgard I mean. Do you come to Midgard often? You just seem so at ease here. And then there is Lael. You still haven’t told me how you know him.”

Zaaroc put his arms on the table and clasped his hands. “I was born on Midgard. During the war, my mother, who was a very talented witch came here to escape all the fighting. She was afraid of losing me. Lael and his wife Aerin came with her. After my birth she returned to Vanaheim, to help uncle Freyr. Lael and Aerin stayed behind with me till it was safe for me to return too. We used to live in a small village in the mountains. I believe that the village is now a country called Nepal. They have moved around a lot. Living in different places on Midgard to avoid questions on why they age so slowly. I didn’t even know they weren’t my parents till Freyr showed up in our village one day. I have kept in touch with them all these years. And I have visited Midgard regularly since I learned to navigate the secret paths.”

Thor leaned forward. “You were born on Midgard? I did not know that. What about your father? I have only heard that he perished in the war. Did you ever get to meet him?”

Zaaroc looked sad. “No. My father died before my birth. That was when my mother escaped to Midgard. Freyr speaks very little about him. I am told he was a good man. That he led the elves well. Freyr said my father wanted peace but circumstances did not favor him….”

Thor looked at his cousin. He forgot at times that Zaaroc was an orphan. He had Freyr of course but his real parents were dead. It must hurt to never have known them properly. “I am sorry for your loss. Do you know how your parents met? There was a war between Alfheim and Vanaheim right? Did they meet before the war?”

Zaaroc sighed. “Not here. There is...my parents are another thing that you need to hear about very patiently. There are some other things you need to know first. I will tell you about them. I have to. You need to know. But not here. Let’s eat and go back. And then we’ll talk. I take it you have recovered from your trip in the dreamscape? You were too tired to talk yesterday and of course then you tried to burn Jane’s house down by baking.”

Thor realized that Zaaroc was changing the topic again. He had been doing that quite a lot. And he was hesitating to talk to Thor. There was something there. Some secret that Zaaroc was almost afraid to tell Thor. It was beginning to annoy him. He just wanted to be done with it. He was half tempted to tell Zaaroc to just share his memories so that Thor would know whatever it was he did. 

But Thor knew part of Zaaroc’s hesitation came from his previous experiences with Thor. He wasn’t known for his patience after all. Thor in the past got angry easily and often treated people badly when they did or said something he didn’t like. It drove away all the good people until only the sycophants were left. Even Loki gave up as Thor’s coronation drew closer and he became even more arrogant. Zaaroc probably thought Thor was going to drive him away instead of trying to accept what he had to say. Thor needed to convince Zaaroc he was a better man now. That he was going to listen.

Isabela served them their food. Zaaroc immediately started eating to avoid further conversation. Thor let it go for now. They ate in silence, both lost in their thoughts. Zaaroc paid Isabela and Thor remembered that he needed to exchange some of his gold for Midgardian money too. He will have to ask Jane about it later. Zaaroc and Thor walked back home and Thor went to the living room motioning to Zaaroc to follow him. Thor sat on the couch but Zaaroc chose to stand by the window. He crossed his arms and half stared out the window.

“Come on Zaaroc you promised you will help. Are you going back on your word now?” Thor did not want to be forceful. But Zaaroc was his best source right now. If he did not step up Thor didn’t know what else he could do to search out the truth.

Zaaroc sighed and faced Thor, “Sorry. Some things may just sound too absurd to you and others are difficult for me to talk of on a personal level. But no, I’m not going back on my word.”

Thor simply raised his eyebrows waiting for Zaaroc to continue. Zaaroc appeared to be thinking. “Fine. As you know Bestla was Jotun. She was an exceptionally powerful witch. Odin inherited her power. But not completely. Compared to the full blooded Jotun mages, Odin’s power was weaker. It became a point of contention. Though Odin did not show it. He, Angrboda and Laufey all studied sedir together under Bjorn, the Jotun high priest at the time.”

Thor gaped Odin and Laufey had studied together? Thor couldn’t imagine it. Zaaroc stared straight ahead speaking fast now, lost in thoughts. “Freyr told me that in those days Asgard and Jotunheim were practically one kingdom. A lot of the Aesir married the Jotun and their children often had physical Jotun traits and were said to develop powers. It was common for the Jotun to visit Asgard and even live there during the winter months. The realms were peaceful. There was no war. Asgard did not have the huge army it does today. There was no disparity among the classes. The warriors were considered equal to the rest of the people. The sedir users were encouraged not condemned. Things used to be very different than they are now.”

“Then Malekith and the dark elves attacked Alfheim. They held King Aldon hostage and made all the light elves their slaves. It was unexpected. No one saw it coming. There was no Heimdall. No way to see into other realms so easily. The other realms did not know this had happened until King Aldon managed to contact Bjorn through dreams. Jotunheim and Asgard gathered their forces. Bor and the other soldiers went to fight Malekith’s armies and Bjorn and the other Jotun mages went to rescue King Aldon and the other elves. Bestla was left in charge of Asgard.”

“Malekith though had the Aether. Bor and the other Asgardian soldiers were not trained in sedir. They could not fight Malekith and were forced to retreat. Seeing their armies losing Bestla herself stepped on the battlefield. She was a powerful witch and helped Bor gain the ground he had lost. But the Aether is an infinity stone. It is not so easy to fight it. However the infinity stones all have their own sentience. Like Mjolnir. The stones are essential to the universe. They all serve a purpose. The stones themselves do not wish to destroy. For they were meant to create. Malekith had bent the Aether’s sentience to his will through sedir. Bestla realized this. She made a connection to the Aether’s sentience and gave it the power of her own consciousness to fight off Malekith’s control.”

“It worked. Bor was able to separate the Aether from Malekith. But Bestla’s consciousness was burned out completely in this. She died. Without the Aether, Malekith was defeated easily. Bor won but at great cost. Freyr told me that Bestla’s death broke him. That he even tried to use the Aether to bring her back. But it was no use. In the end Bor gave the Aether to Bjorn and told him to hide it somewhere no one would ever find it again. But Bor always blamed himself. He thought that maybe if he’d had some warning of Malekith’s attack. Or if Asgard had a better army maybe Bestla’s life would have been spared. She was not given a funeral like the Aesir. Rather she was buried as the Jotun are. I’m not sure about it but it is possible that her grave is still there on Jotunheim.”

Thor was confused. All the accounts said that it was Bor who had defeated Malekith. But then again, Odin could have easily changed the information in the records. What caught Thor’s attention was that his grandmother had been buried. But Zaaroc said he wasn’t sure if her grave was still there.

“Why would her grave not be there anymore? To my knowledge a grave does not move on its own.” Thor was so confused.

Zaaroc nodded, “You are right. Graves do not move on their own. But the graves of Laufey’s ancestors used to be near the mountains. During the war with Asgard the mountains of Jotunheim were destroyed. It’s possible her grave and the other graves were destroyed during that”

The mountains of Jotunheim had been destroyed? What could cause such a humongous destruction? Unless….was Zaaroc implying that during the Jotunheim-Asgard war Odin set the Bifrost on Jotunheim? Thor could not think of anything else that could cause so much destruction.

Zarroc ran a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated. “We are getting ahead of ourselves. After Malekith’s defeat King Aldon came to the Aesir court to express his gratitude, Bor proposed that Alfheim forge a treaty with Asgard. Bor would provide a section of his army as permanent protection for Alfheim and in return Aldon would pay tribute to Bor. He proposed this treaty as the elves clearly had a ‘weak’ military as they tended to focus more on the ‘art of sedir’.”

Zaaroc’s face darkened, “That was the start. The beginning of the Asgard that you see today. Despite the insult, Bor had come to Aldon’s aid. So, Aldon agreed to this proposition. Alfheim was sort of joined to Asgard. Bor encouraged the mages in Asgard to learn from the mages of Alfheim as well. The newer generation of Aesir had Jotunn blood and were better at sedir than their predecessors. Asgard started developing at a faster pace. They even started negotiations with the dwarves and the Vanir. Things were going well”

Thor could not imagine the art of sedir being given so much importance. For as long as he remembered, sedir was considered as the weapon of cowards. No respectable warrior would use it. Which was ridiculous considering that his mother and Loki were both excellent warriors despite being sedir users. Zaaroc was pacing now. He looked at Thor, the same hesitation on his face that Thor had seen in the diner.

It was really getting on Thor’s nerves now. He was listening wasn’t he? Why the hesitation then? “Come on Zaaroc. What is it? I am here. I am listening aren’t I? You say Bestla was Jotun, I believe you. You say she was the one who defeated Malekith, I believe you. I am accepting what you are saying. Why this hesitation then? What is so bad that you doubt so much that I will not listen?”

Zaaroc sagged, “I’m sorry. I know you are being very accepting. But...I just...don’t know how to say this. I’m not even sure I’m the right person to tell you this. Maybe we should wait till I am able to take you to Freyr. Or...I….I don’t know…..”

Thor had never seen Zaaroc look so unsure of something. Now he was nervous. What was so bad that even Zaaroc who usually did not hold back was so hesitant? So unsure? It couldn’t be worse than hiding Bestla and Loki’s true heritage, could it? Thor had no confidence. Everything Odin had ever told him was a lie. All the so called values Asgard followed were a lie. Its history had been changed. The people, the children, they were all living a lie, believing a lie. He remembered something Stark had said ‘It could always be worse’ 

The past few years had proved that statement twice over. Maybe Thor should wait. Hear it from Freyr like Zaaroc suggested. There was something else that he wanted to do right now anyway. “Ok.” Zaaroc looked surprised. Thor pushed ahead, “If you say I should hear it from Freyr then I’ll wait till I can hear from Freyr.” Zaaroc nodded looking a little dazed.

An idea had popped in Thor’s mind when Zaaroc had told him about Bestla’s final resting place, “Zaaroc. I...I was thinking. Do you...is it….is there a way I could talk to someone on Jotunheim? I...I wanted to visit Jotunheim. After Loki’s fall I mean. I wanted to make amends. But….Odin said there was no need. That I had been misled by the circumstances created by Loki. I disagreed but I could not argue with him. And I could not find any other reason to visit them. But now I know that I have blood relations with Jotunheim. Now more than ever I want to go there. You know the secret paths don’t you? Is there….do you know any paths to Jotunheim? I want to...can we go there? I want to go there.”

Zaaroc thought about it. It was too risky. He didn’t even know if there was still a path from Midgard to Jotunheim anymore. Freyr had told him that when Odin removed the Casket forcibly all paths had been cut off. This wasn’t actually true since Loki had obviously managed to find a path to Jotunheim. What it did mean though was that the paths were changed. The entries and exits were no longer where they used to be. Zaaroc would have to search a path. All previous knowledge that Freyr and the others had on Jotunheim’s secret paths had become obsolete.

There was also the matter of how welcome Thor would be on Jotunheim. Farbauti might be willing to talk to him. The same could not be said for the rest of her people. With good reason too. Maybe...if all Thor wanted to do was talk maybe Zaaroc could help him communicate with Farbauti through dreams. They would have to prepare a lot though. The palace in Alfheim had many many wards that prevented Odin from finding out that Freyr used dream communication. Dr. Foster’s house did not have these protections. Zaaroc would have to set them up first. 

Thor was still looking at Zaaroc expectantly. “I’m sorry I don’t know any secret paths to Jotunheim….” Thor deflated. Zaaroc steeled himself. This was going to raise a lot of questions. “But….if you really really want to talk to someone of Jotunheim….then maybe I might be able to set a meeting with Queen Farbauti. We would have to communicate through dreams though. I am pretty sure you are not welcome on Jotunheim after what happened last time”

For a moment it looked like Thor was going to demand how Zaaroc knew Queen Farbauti but what he said surprised Zaaroc. “Does she know?” Zaaroc tilted his head. “Who knows what?”

Thor pursed his lips, “Does Queen Farbauti know about Loki? That he was her son? If she does then... Are you sure she would even want to talk to me?”

Oh. This was the first time Zaaroc truly felt the change in Thor. In the past he would have focused more on how Zaaroc knew to contact Queen Farbauti. This was surprisingly perceptive for Thor. “Yes. She didn’t before. But she recently reached out to Freyr. He told her. She is aware that Loki was her son. That he wasn’t dead all these years like she believed him to be. That Odin stole him and raised him on Asgard. She is also well aware of the kind of teaching Loki received about the Jotun. But her hate is more towards Odin than you. I will have to ask if she is willing to talk to you. I was just letting you know this is one option we can explore…”

Thor nodded. “Very well. I will talk to her if she is willing. I cannot change what Odin did. Nor can I bring Loki back but she deserves to know he is in a good place now.That he is at peace. And I need to make amends. In whatever way I can. I have to be better than Odin. Maybe...maybe in time we can repair the relations between Asgard and Jotunheim...”

Zaaroc nodded. That was why he was here. Because they all needed to fix the damage done by Odin. It was true that no one could bring back the ones already lost but they could build a better future for their children. So that their children did not suffer the same pain they had. “I will need to set up additional wards around the house before I can contact Queen Farbauti. Like I said a lot of eyes are looking here. Better to be doubly safe. Are you going to contact Loki again?”

Thor nodded, “Yes. I will contact him again tonight. We did not get a chance to talk about much last time. Loki tires very easily in the dreamscape. The bond is draining him. He was also able to pull Laufey into the dreamscape. Do you have any idea how he did that? I thought the bond was just between me and him. Is it possible for someone to intrude on it?”

Zaaroc shook his head. “No. The bond **is** between you and Loki. No one can just intrude on it. However, one of you can give access to others to enter the dreamscape. I assume since Laufey is Loki’s birth father, the blood relation between them makes it easier for Loki to give him permission. I had to nudge the bond very carefully and wait for Loki to let me in. If he had refused or I had pushed too hard, the bond would have expelled my consciousness. Probably banishing it to the void. Then my body would be an empty shell. Loki really almost overdid the protections”

That reassured Thor. He had been worried someone or rather Odin would sense the bond and invade it. And who knows what he would have done. Thor had just gotten Loki back. He did not want to lose him again. “That’s a relief. I was worried. About the bond draining Loki…..how exactly do I ‘share’ my soul to make it a two way bond. I don’t understand what it entails. You said that it was invasive. Does that mean the current bond is invasive for Loki? How? I’m confused…”

Zaaroc sat on the table in front of Thor. He held his hands a few inches apart. A golden thread made of light appeared. One end tied to the ring finger on his right hand and the other looped around the ring finger of his left hand. The edge on the left hand did not end in a knot rather it mixed into the thread and became one with it. 

“This is a bond. You see right now the knot exists only on one end. The other end is simply allowed inside. A kind of special access. This takes effort on part of the source from which the bond originated. This is also why you are able to invite others into the shared dreamscape But….”

Zaaroc moved his left ring finger. A blue color thread appeared similar to the golden thread. It mixed with the golden thread. Now the thread was blue gold and a knot had appeared on Zaaroc's left ring finger as well. The thread was now thicker than it had been before. There was also more light flowing through it.

“This is a soul bond. Both ends contribute their power to the bond. You asked how invasive the bond is right now. Well, at the moment Loki can probably feel echoes of your emotions. He was also able to feel me trying to assess your sedir channels. If you contribute to the current bond, the thread will strengthen. You and Loki would then be able to feel each other’s emotions completely. No more echoes. That’s why you need to think very hard before you take that step.”

Zaaroc shook his hands and the illusion disappeared. “There is one more thing that worries me. A soul bond ties two souls. The soul is what allows you to be alive. If two souls are tied they become parts of a whole. Everything between them is shared. Which means that life span is also shared between them. Loki is dead but you are alive. You are both on different planes of existence. I’m worried that if you attempt a soul bond it would try to bring both of you on the same plane of existence. Which means either you die or Loki is pulled here. Which is not good. He doesn’t have a physical body anymore. He would be a ghost. I mean if his body was still here then maybe it would bring him back to life but...” Zaaroc stopped at the expression on Thor’s face.

He leaned forward. “Loki **was** given an Aesir funeral right?” Thor looked down. Zaaroc grabbed his shoulders and shook him “Thor! Answer me! I heard you went to Svartalfheim after returning from defeating Malekith on Midgard. That was to give him a funeral right?”

Thor shook his head, “No. I mean, I did go to Svartalfheim. I wanted Loki to have a funeral on Asgard. A proper funeral like mother. But Odin refused saying that he was a traitor and didn’t deserve it. So I did the next best thing and buried him like the humans do. His body must still be there….are you saying...”

Zaaroc interrupted Thor, “No I get that Odin did not want to give Loki a proper funeral. Not unexpected from him. But you...why didn’t you burn Loki’s body like Aesir usually do? It would not have been a proper funeral. But it would still have been what an Aesir would do. Why bury him instead?”

Thor looked down again, “I couldn’t bear it.” Thor shrugged Zaaroc’s hands off his shoulders and walked over to the window looking outside. “He came back once. When he fell in the void everyone said he was dead. But he came back. Against all odds he came back. I just thought…..If I burned his body how would he come back? And it felt better. The idea of a grave. A place where I could come and visit him. I guess I hoped that one day I would visit his grave and find that it's empty. Odin was very angry. But uncle Vili and Ve sided with me saying it did no harm as long as Loki was not given a funeral on Asgard in front of the people.”

Thor turned back to Zaaroc, “Are you saying that if we brought Loki’s body here and then I attempted a full soul bond, Loki can be brought back to life?”

Zaaroc looked unsure, “You are forgetting the flip side. You might die instead. And how do you propose we bring Loki’s body here? Svartalfheim is a wasteland. I don’t know any secret paths to take us there either. Freyr forbid it. That place affects the light elves badly. Messes with our sedir.”

Thor thought about it. “How do you identify a secret path?”

“The walls between the realms are weak at a point that leads to a secret path. This is what opens portals during the convergence only at some points. Most of them are actually secret paths. Loki had better knowledge of them than any of us. He always told me he could sense them. Like me with my tracking. A weak point between Midgard and Svartalfheim could technically be a secret path. But where would we even know where to begin looking for it? I do have certain contacts on Midgard that might be able to help. Maybe...”

Thor knew exactly where he had seen a weak point like that. “I know where we could start. After Malekith’s first attack, I had Loki transport me, him and Jane to Svartalfheim through the secret paths. The plan had been to destroy the Aether after tricking Malekith into removing it from Jane. It didn’t work of course. Loki died and worse still Jane and I were trapped on Svartalfheim with no way out. We took shelter in a cave. And then Jane’s cell phone started ringing. It turned out that the cave had a weak point like you described. It led back to a place on Midgard in the city of London. It could have formed because of the Convergence. Maybe it’s still there. We could try at least”

Zaaroc couldn’t believe the odds. A bond between Loki and Thor. Thor not burning Loki’s body and now this. Maybe the Norns were with them after all. “I suppose there is a change of plans then. We go to London instead of Norway. I need to think about wards and illusions. I have an illusion on the entire town now. So wherever you go, I am invisible. If Heimdall had been watching us at all then I have already gone back to Alfheim yesterday and you are reading a book right now. We will need a much stronger illusion if we intend to travel to Svartalfheim though. It requires time and work. It has to be perfect”

Thor nodded, “Yes. A little mistake will alert Odin. We do not want that. Let’s go over all the things we need to do. I will contact Loki again today and try to convince him to pursue the soul bond. Maybe he’ll consider it if he knows it can bring him back to life. The risk is worth it. You work on the illusion and also contact Queen Farbauti. I think she should hear about the bond and everything else we have figured out. You said the Jotun are extremely talented in sedir right? Maybe she can guide us so we are able to eliminate the risk of me dying when the bond becomes a complete soul bond. I brought some of my mother’s books with me. We can go through them too. Maybe there is something on soul bonds. We might get a better idea of what to expect”

Zaaroc paused at the mention of Thor’s...their mother. He shook himself. Now was not the time. He had work to do. He would also have to contact Freyr and bring him up to speed. If at all they had a way of bringing Loki back then it was a game changer. Thor did not know this. But Loki had the support of Hela, one of the most powerful sedir users to ever exist and Laufey himself was an experienced sedir user. Between all of them, they might just be able to pull this off.

“Yes...you get the books. I will call Lael and tell him we need passage to London instead of Norway. I think I should fetch Dr. Foster as well. The house is hers. I need her permission to place some of the more powerful wards. And we need to tell her too. Especially the part where we intend to bring Loki back to life”

Thor nodded. They both left the living room. Zaaroc left the house to go to the lab, calling Lael on the way. Thor went to his room to fetch his books. They had a lot of work to do….

TBC...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There it is. Now Zaaroc did say that a soul bond means Thor will share emotions with Loki. But in the excitement of the possibility that Loki can be brought back to life, Thor's sort of skipped over it. It will come back to him. Eventually. It did occur to Loki in the previous chapter which is why he was against it to begin with.
> 
> Zaaroc putting an illusion over the entire town is something that happened off screen. But he did do it. Otherwise Odin would have had someone at Jane's door by now demanding that Thor and Zaaroc explain their sudden friendship.


	20. Revelations (part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of revelations gone wrong....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I said I might be slow in updates. But I found that if I divided the story into more chapters I am able to update it sooner. It's a workaround that suits my busy schedule. I am hoping it doesn't affect the pace and flow too much...

** Inside the Black Castle, Helheim **

Loki sighed and looked at his hands folded in his lap. He was sitting on his bed, back leaned against the headboard. It had been a day since his talk with Thor. He had woken up just an hour ago after sleeping for an entire day. He was still tired. Loki closed his eyes and leaned his head back. It felt like he had performed a thousand spells at the same time. He was exhausted. In the background Hela and Laufey argued like they had been for the past half hour since Loki had woken and told them about Thor’s offer to add his own power to the bond so that the burden did not fall completely on Loki. Hela thought it was a good idea. Laufey pointed out that it would mean the bond would become a full soul bond. Hela did not see the problem. Laufey felt it was too invasive. Now they were both arguing. Loki did not have the energy to tell them off. It was **his** decision not theirs. 

Loki opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling. Thor. Loki did not know what to make of his not-brother. Even after a millennium, Thor continued to surprise Loki. He had not expected Thor to be so open and friendly. Not after the way things had been before his death on Svartalfheim. He forgot sometimes that for all that he claimed Thor was an idiot, he could be strangely perceptive at times. It was a trait Thor had inherited from Frigga. Of that Loki had no doubt. But Thor hadn’t been perceptive for a very long time. Loki had forgotten about it.

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Loki was only supposed to deliver information. Emotions were not supposed to be a part of this. Then Thor had to open his mouth and say all those things. Things Loki had hoped to hear so many times when he had been alive. Things that made it impossible for Loki to ignore long buried feelings. Damm that fool! Somehow even after all this time, after everything that had happened Thor still managed to find the holes in Loki’s armor. It wasn’t fair! 

Loki tried to ignore how good it had felt to hug Thor. For the first time in many many years, Loki saw his brother again. The one that used to comfort him at night when Loki had nightmares. The one who was happy to be in Loki’s company. The one who used to be fascinated by Loki’s sedir. The one who used to feel like he was a part of Loki’s soul. That brother had been lost. He had turned into a selfish, arrogant boy who mocked Loki, belittled him and pushed him away. Loki had never hoped to see the brother of his childhood again. It lowered his defenses and Loki babbled out his feelings. He was still surprised that Thor agreed with him. That he too felt Odin was in the wrong here. And then he had actually listened when Loki told him about Bestla. Maybe…..maybe a soul bond would not be so bad…..not with this Thor……..

“Loki! Are you listening?!” Loki blinked and turned his gaze towards Laufey, raising one eyebrow in question.

Laufey was almost purple from anger. He pointed one finger at Hela, “Tell her. Tell her the soul bond is a bad idea! It’s too invasive. Your soul should be yours alone! Why would you tie it to that boy?!! It’s a compromise on your freedom!”

Hela rolled her eyes, “Oh stop it. The problem isn’t that you want Loki to be free. It’s that you disapprove of Thor. I’m sure if it was someone else Loki was bonding to you would have no problem. This is childish of you uncle.”

Laufey looked offended. Hela looked unimpressed by the display. Loki was unimpressed too. He knew Laufey did not particularly like Thor with good reason. But it was not his decision who Loki did or did not bond to. It wasn’t Hela’s either. There was something he wanted to ask them both though.

“What exactly does a soul bond do? I have read a little about them. I know that with a soul bond Thor would be able to feel my emotions and I would be able to feel his. Other than that I’m not sure what else it entails….” The part about shared emotions was what worried Loki most but he needed more information before he could make a proper choice.

Hela tapped her chin in thought. “Well I have only ever seen one bonded soul pair. Freyr and Freya. They have a soul bond. That is why no one protested their union even though they are siblings. A soul bond holds the highest rank among relations. What it becomes depends on the ones involved in the bond. No one else has the right to question it. A soul bond can also be formed between two parties only if they are both willing. If even one of them does not agree it won’t form. It cannot be forced. That would result in the death of the one who is trying to force it.”

Laufey nodded, “In the time Ymir was alive, the Jotun often used soul bonds to symbolize union between two people. But it was discovered that a soul bond does more than tie emotions. It reshapes the souls involved in it so that they become two parts of one whole. Everything is shared, even life span. That is why this practice was discontinued. When one person died the one they were bonded to died as well. It was a good thing too otherwise Bor would also have died with Bestla”

Loki swallowed. That was….he had no words. Invasive sounded like an understatement now. One thought crept in Loki’s mind though, “But I am already dead. If I attempt a soul bond with Thor who is still alive…..does it mean he will die if he bonds to me?”

“Or you might come back to life” Hela pointed out, “There are two sides to everything. It is true that you and Thor are on different planes of existence. A bond will try to pull you both on the same plane. It’s a fifty-fifty chance though. Either Thor is pulled here or you are pulled wherever Thor is. But there is one more thing to consider. Without a body if you are pulled to the realm of the living, you will be a ghost. Your soul needs a body to interact with that plane of existence.”

Loki stiffened. He did have a body. Thor said he had buried Loki. As a Jotun Loki’s body would decay at a very slow rate. It had only been about four months since his death. His body would still be in proper condition. It might not have decayed at all. 

Laufey noticed Loki’s reaction. “What is it Loki? Like Hela said it is a fifty-fifty chance. And you will be a ghost if at all you do manage to ‘come back to life’. Then why do you look like you are still considering this…”

Loki looked from Laufey to Hela, “What if….what if I did have a body. My body I mean. What if my body was still there preserved since my death? Would I be able to come back to life as you say?”

Hela sat beside Loki “Are you saying...The Aesir burn the bodies of their dead. Why would your body be preserved? Even if it was how would you know?”

Loki bit his lip, “Thor told me. He said he wanted to give me a proper Aesir funeral but Odin refused. So he buried me like the humans do instead. My grave is supposedly on Svartalfheim, where I died.”

Hela looked at Laufey, “What do you think? Is it possible? Loki’s body must be kept near Thor when he attempts to form the bond. It should allow Loki’s soul in as soon as Loki leaves Helheim and appears near it. It is possible that the thread that connects the soul to the body has to be tied again. We would need an expert sedir user. Preferably a Jotun mage. They are taught to sense connections from a very early age and are better at it. I would have to guide them though. I think it’s doable”

Laufey’s brow furrowed in thought, “It’s a big risk. You said it yourself. There’s a chance Thor is pulled into Helheim instead. What if something goes wrong? The soul bond reshapes souls. What if Loki’s body cannot recognize his soul anymore. And how do you plan to guide anyone? You are unable to enter the dreamscape and communicate with anyone. There are too many variables. Too many things that can go wrong.”

Hela waved a hand frantically, “We will work on the variables. We will find a way for me to communicate. Odin is growing weaker everyday. I might be able to break another link in the chain and open the channels to connect to the dreamscape. We will form a proper solid plan before attempting anything. But think about it! Loki will have his life back. He will have another chance! Don’t you want that?”

Loki could see the conflict on Laufey’s face. He knew Laufey was afraid of losing Loki again. Loki got off the bed and walked up to Laufey, putting a hand on his shoulder. “It’s just a thought. I’m not going to bond with Thor right this second. I have to explain all this to Thor first. He might not even want the bond once he realizes all that it entails. I’m not going anywhere, don't worry.”

Laufey sighed. “No….I….Hela is right. If there is a chance you can have your life back, we should do everything we can to make it a reality. I am being selfish. If you are brought back to life, I will no longer be able to see you.”

Hela walked over to them, “And what about Aunt Farbauti? If Loki is alive again, she will have a chance to bond with him. To see the son she thought was lost to her. She deserves a chance to get to know Loki too.”

Laufey nodded. Loki stepped back. “We are in agreement then. When I next talk to Thor I will tell him about this. We’ll see how it goes. In the meantime let us work on all that we will need to do to increase the chances of the bond bringing me back to life” Loki yawned.

Laufey chuckled. “I and Hela will work on it. You rest and recover your strength. The next time you contact Thor, it will be a long conversation. I think we should start working up to telling him about Hela. He **needs** to know.”

Loki wanted to protest that he was perfectly capable of helping too. But his eyes were heavy again and he felt like he had run a marathon. He nodded and got back in bed, pulling the covers over his head and falling in a dreamless sleep.

** Dr. Foster’s House, Puente Antiguo, Midgard **

Zaaroc and Thor were both sitting on the floor in Jane’s living room, a book in each of their hands. There were many other books spread on the floor. The books belonged to their mother. Thor had brought all of them with him on a whim. Zaaroc was surprised to see just how much information the books held. Especially since they were all handwritten. These were from their mother’s personal collection. Journal was a more accurate title for them. He and Thor had decided to leave contacting other people for the night. Zaaroc had gone to the lab and found Dr. Foster frantically working on something. He had simply told her that something important had come up and to come home as soon as possible. She hadn’t even looked up as she waved Zaaroc away, too busy in her work. Zaaroc let it be. He had called Lael though and told him of the change in plans. Lael had taken it in stride. Zaaroc had also reached out to his contacts in London. They had said they might be able to help Thor travel to Svartalfheim. Though they needed to talk to their leader before committing to it. Zaaroc wasn’t worried the leader knew him well. Now he and Thor were going through their mother’s journals looking for information on the soul bond or anything else that could help in bringing Loki back. It was hard for Zaaroc to see his mother’s journals. He had to resist the urge to run his fingers over the pages.

“Here!” Zaaroc looked up. Thor was holding out the book he had been reading pointing to a passage. “Look at this entry Zaaroc.”

Zaaroc read what was written, _‘A soul is bound to the body by a thread. When a person dies the thread is severed and the soul is adrift. Free to ascend to Valhalla or descend to Helheim. It is possible that if a soul lingers in the same plane as the body, the thread could be tied back. If this is done, it is possible that the person would then be alive again. There is no proof of this theory though. It has never been tested. To test the theory one would need the ability to see souls. To date there is no record of a witch or a mage who has this ability’_

No record. Zaaroc wanted to snort. Of course there was no record. Odin had erased them. Hela was the only known sedir user who could see souls and their connections clearly without any effort. The others could sense souls and their connections but they were ‘blind’ in a way. They could not actually see the connections. They could only sense them. Besides to Zaaroc’s knowledge Hela was trapped in Helheim. She was unable to contact anyone on the outside. Zaaroc knew about her being in Helheim only because Laufey had told this to Freyr who had then told Zaaroc. It was still unclear to Zaaroc how Laufey knew in the first place.

Thor was excited, “Well? What do you think? It is worth consideration isn’t it? This means that if we get Loki’s body and his soul is also here then all we need to do is tie the thread from his soul back to his body and he will be ‘alive’ again!”

Zaaroc shook his head, “No it’s not that simple. We would need to be able to **see** the thread to be able to tie it. I do not have that ability. Nor do I know anyone who does….” Zaaroc hesitated. 

Thor noticed it. He leaned forward, “Oh but you do. Don’t you? You do know someone with this ability. Who is it? Where are they? We’ll negotiate with them. Ask them to help us. We’ll offer gold, knowledge anything. Please...tell me what I have to do.” Thor looked desperate

Zaaroc sighed. Things just kept going round and round in a circle. Thor’s lack of knowledge was more than just a flaw it was becoming a hindrance now. Zaaroc didn’t think they could prolong this anymore. He closed the book and leaned back.

Zaaroc ran a hand through his hair, “If told you, you won’t believe me.”

Thor opened his mouth to protest but Zaaroc spoke over him, “Yes I do know someone who has this ability. But it’s not possible for them to help us. They-she is trapped.”

“Where? We’ll rescue her. Who is she?”, Thor wasn’t going to let this go. Whoever this person was she could help him bring Loki back to life. There was too much at stake, Thor will fight whoever he needed to, do whatever he needed to, to get to this woman.

Zaaroc got up and started pacing, “I wanted to wait for Freyr’s instructions. Honestly it is better if you hear this from him. But we keeping going in circles. It all comes down to information that you don’t have. About Asgard, about Odin, about the wars. About how everything came to be the way it is today.”

Zaaroc looked at Thor and sighed, “I don’t think we can avoid this anymore. I have only one request. Please just…..please just let me finish. It might feel like what I’m saying is insane…...but please let me finish” 

Thor nodded numbly. Zaaroc sat down on the couch, looking at his feet. “Did you find any more information in Lael’s book about Angrboda?”

Thor wondered where this was going, “No. Her name is in the family tree of Ymir and there was a line about how she was a talented witch like her ancestors but no other than that I did not find any more information”

Zaaroc nodded, “Ok. The Aesir did not always know about the Casket of Ancient Winters. It used to be kept in the inner sanctuary, in the temple of the One Above All, the god that the Jotuns worship. It was the anchor for Jotunheim’s sedir. Without it the ley lines in Jotunheim that connect it to Yggdrasil become wild, overflowing with power more than the Jotun can handle. Thus keeping the Casket away from Jotunheim for too long causes the ice to crack and break, the planet surface becomes unstable and the Jotun have to constantly remove power from the ley lines to ensure that they are not consumed by the havoc. For this the high priest or priestess connects themselves to the planet's sedir core and releases the energy into the void. When the Casket was there the same purpose was achieved through it.”

The Casket had been in Asgard for more than a millennium. Thor wondered if this was the reason why Jotunheim was a ruin. Breaking apart piece by piece. The thought made him uncomfortable. It meant that Odin’s actions were the reason the realm was dying.

Zaaroc continued speaking, “When a Jotun child is born, the Jotun take the child to the inner sanctuary and the child stays with the Casket under the care of the priests for three days and nights. The Casket opens channels in the Jotun that allow them to wield sedir better. The inner sanctuary was actually under the ground. In the temple which was in Utgard the capital city of Jotunheim. Much like Odin’s vault, to get to the sanctuary one would have to fight through the city and capture the palace and temple itself.”

The implication of what Zaaroc was saying was clear. Loki was never abandoned. He was in one of the safest places in Jotunheim. If Odin brought him to Asgard, it was only after a lot of bloodshed and it was not an adoption but rather a kidnapping. For the first time it really sunk in just how deep Odin’s lies ran.

Zaaroc shook his head, “To understand how the conflict between Asgard and Jotunheim came to be you need to know everything about the past. Because in the time of Bestla and Bor, Asgard and Jotunheim were at peace. After Bestla’s death, Bor focused more on the army of Asgard. Determined to make it better. He was growing old. The time was coming for him to choose his heir. There wasn’t much to contemplate over. Vili and Ve did not have much talent for sedir. Odin on the other hand was the most powerful half Jotun of his generation. Asgard needed a ruler that was adept in both war and sedir. Because Asgard needs both of these to survive. Odin was more popular with people too. He was the obvious choice.”

“But before Odin could ascend to the throne, Bor wanted him to marry and settle down.” Zaaroc ran a hand through his hair again, anxious about what he was going to say next, “Bor’s union with Bestla had brought much prosperity to Asgard. He felt….he wanted the same for Odin. So...he approached Laufey and Angrboda and made the same proposal Buri had. That Angrboda marry Odin just like Bor had married Bestla…”

Thor got up, unable to help himself, “WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?!!!” Zaaroc winced at the volume. Thor stepped around the books and grabbed Zaaroc’s collar, leaning in his face, “ARE YOU SAYING ODIN WAS MARRIED? BEFORE HE MARRIED MOTHER? THAT’S IMPOSSIBLE!! HE COULDN’T HIDE THIS!!! WHY DID NO ONE EVER TELL ME!! WHY WOULD THEY HIDE THIS!!! WHY?!!!”

Zaaroc tried to pull Thor’s hand off him, “No one ever told you because if they did Odin would have killed them! There’s more. Odin had a child, from his marriage to Angrboda. A daughter named Hela…..” Zaaroc couldn’t say any more because Thor pulled him by his collar and shoved him in the wall near the window.

“WHAT?!!!” Zaaroc was a little dazed as his head hit the wall hard. “NO!!! NO NO NO NO!! YOU ARE LYING!! I AM ODIN’S FIRSTBORN!!!” Thor shook Zaaroc, making his head bang in the wall again.

Zaaroc recovered and pushed Thor off, “WHY WOULD I LIE?!!! DO YOU THINK I ENJOY SPREADING LIES LIKE YOUR SO CALLED FATHER?!!!”

Zaaroc got in Thor’s face and spoke in a deadly cold voice, “Your precious noble father has shed so much blood you couldn’t make up for it if you lived for ten thousand years! He married Angrboda! He has a daughter Hela! You know what he did to them?! You want me to give you a list of his crimes! He murdered Angrboda! Tried to consume her sedir like a fucking cannibal! He manipulated Hela just like he did to Loki! He manipulated her, used her to fight his wars and then when she refused to bow to him anymore, he dumped her in Helheim! Trapped, alone, cut off from everyone for eternity! Where do you think all the gold in Asgard came from?!! The bloody sky?!! No! Odin stole it from us! From Vanaheim and Alfheim! Just like he stole the Casket from Jotunheim! **He** murdered my father! He’s the reason my mother had to leave me behind!! He’s the reason Freya can’t bear children! BECAUSE HE FUCKING RIPPED HER WOMB OUT WITH HER UNBORN CHILD!!! HE’S A FUCKING MURDERER!! A BLOODY MURDERER AND A THIEF!! AND I’M FUCKING TIRED OF EVERYONE PRETENDING LIKE HE’S SO NOBLE AND GOOD AND GRACIOUS!!!” 

Zaaroc pushed past a gaping Thor and left the house. He walked towards the desert. Away from the town, away from Thor. Just away from it all. He couldn’t leave but he needed to calm down. Zaaroc sank to his knees in the sand and pulled his hair, screaming in frustration. Damn it!! Damn it all!! This was a bloody disaster. What had Zaaroc expected? That he would tell Thor his entire life was a lie and Thor would accept it with a smile? Of course not. But Zaaroc was so tired of the secrets. Tired of not being able to call his mother as his mother. Tired of his brother standing two feet from him and calling him cousin. He was just tired of it all.

Zaaroc sighed. He had to go back. He needed to apologize to Thor for yelling at him like that. It wasn’t Thor’s fault. He was only following what he had been taught since childhood. At least his wards around the town were still intact. Thor hadn’t contacted Heimdall yet. Zaaroc started walking back to town.

The door of Jane’s house was open. Zaaroc was immediately on alert. He crept in silently. Jane was standing at the entrance of the living room. She turned around when she sensed Zaaroc.

“Zaaroc? What happened here? Mandy from next door came to the lab and said she heard yelling and banging from the house.”

Zaaroc walked over to Jane and saw that Thor was lying on the couch, his eyes closed, the ring on his finger glowing slightly. Oh. Well this was a surprise. Zaaroc should have known that Thor would choose to go to Loki now that he could contact him at any time. 

Jane pointed to the books, “What’s all this? Whose books are these?” She pointed at a hole in the wall of the living room next to the window. “And why is there a hole in the wall?!! I left you both alone only for a few hours!! Honestly! I thought I was clear when I said no roughhousing in the house!”

Jane snapped her fingers in front of Zaaroc’s face, “Hey! I’m talking to you! I get complaints that there are noises coming from my house. I come here and Thor’s off talking to Loki. You are nowhere to be found. The living room’s a mess and there’s a bloody hole in my wall. You do know that I have rented this house right? It’s not actually mine. Isabela owns this property. What do I tell her? Huh?”

Zaaroc blinked, “Sorry. Thor and I had a minor argument. Or rather I told him something and he got angry and then I got angry and then it all devolved from there. I’m sorry about the wall. I’ll talk to Isabela and pay for the damage.”

Jane sighed, “No...it’s fine. I’m more worried one of you got hurt. What happened? I thought Thor was going to contact Loki at night. Why is he doing it now? What did I miss?”

Zaaroc sat down and started closing all the books scattered on the floor. He looked at Thor. It was going to be some time before Thor was back with them. Jane was still looking at him with a questioning expression. Zaaroc sighed again. This day was not going as he had expected. He motioned to Jane, “Come sit. It’s going to be a long conversation. I have a lot to tell you…..”

TBC…..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the aftermath of the wars, Zaaroc and Loki really got the worst end of the stick. And Zaaroc who has been aware of things for a long time just reached a point where he needed to vent. Him telling Thor was a disaster. But hey at least Thor went to Loki instead of going to confront Odin.....


	21. Meeting (part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More revelations and hidden feelings.....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With this chapters our main characters are more or less caught up with their histories.

Thor stared after Zaaroc. He couldn’t comprehend what Zaaroc had just said. It couldn’t be true.  **He** was Odin’s firstborn. This...this thing about Angrboda and...Hela couldn’t be true. And then all those other things Zaaroc said about Odin. They couldn’t be true. Could they? No. No. Odin was not as good as everyone thought he was and he had done wrong by Loki and Jotunheim. But this…..No. No. Zaaroc must be mistaken. Someone must have lied to him. It couldn’t be true. Odin couldn’t have…...No. Just no. But doubt plagued Thor. So much Odin had told him had been a lie. What if Zaaroc was right?

Thor sat on the couch, his head in his hands. He was so exhausted. Every time it felt like things might be getting better they took a turn for the worse. It felt like Thor was living in a strange dream where everything was all wrong. How did it come to this? Was his whole life a lie? Has any part of it ever been real? Was there anything in his life that was true? Thor didn’t know what to do. How could he even tell if Zaaroc was telling the truth? He was so confused.

He ran a hand through his hair. The ring on his finger caught his eye. Loki. Zaaroc had said Odin’s supposed daughter….Hela was trapped in Helheim. Loki was in Helheim. He would have told Thor if he had a sister in Helheim, wouldn’t he? But their conversation had taken a different direction. Maybe…...maybe Loki had wanted to tell Thor but they had run out of time. Yes that was possible. There was only one way to find out.

Thor laid down on the couch. It was a tight fit for his frame. But comfort wasn’t Thor's goal here. He concentrated on the thread between himself and Loki and tugged at it. Thor felt the answering tug. He closed his eyes and let Loki pull him into the shared dreamscape.

When Thor opened his eyes he was back in the field with the golden grass. This time he was lying down. Loki was sitting beside him. He still looked tired. Thor frowned. It was obvious Loki had not fully recovered from their last meeting. He shelved that thought for later. They had limited time.

Loki furrowed his brow studying the expression on Thor’s face. Something had happened. “Thor? I felt you pull the thread. Has it been two days already? It has only been a day in Helheim.”

Thor sat up slowly, rubbing his face. “No...I mean yes. It’s only been a day on Midgard too…”

Something had definitely happened. Thor looked closed off, aloof. Like his mind was elsewhere. “Oh. I mean….I don’t mind. I like our talks. I wasn’t doing anything important anyway. Just sleeping. Actually all I have done is sleep. So...how are things?” Wonderful now Loki sounded like a lovesick adolescent. 

Thor turned and sat cross legged facing Loki. He opened and closed his mouth a few times. He wasn’t sure how to ask this. “Loki….I...do you...when you…” Thor ran a hand through his hair frustrated.

Loki was getting worried now. It was always bad when Thor hesitated. His not-brother usually spoke his mind. Loki put a hand on Thor’s knee. “Yes? Just tell me. Whatever it is. Just tell me. I won’t judge. Promise”

Thor bit his lip. “When you first woke in Helheim….did you...was there anyone there? How did you find Laufey?”

Loki frowned. Thor was trying to get information out of Loki. Asking about something when the intention was to know about something else. It might have worked on someone else. But Loki was the one who taught this trick to Thor. “You cannot trap me with words Thor. I am the one who taught you all these tricks. Speak plainly. I am dead in case you forgot about that. I have no reason to play games with you. So you don’t play games with me either. Was I not honest with you the last time we met?”

Thor looked sheepish. “I am sorry. You are right, you were honest with me. Today...I told Zaaroc about sharing the load of the bond. He said the same thing you had. That it would become a soul bond if we did that. I….we figured out that a soul bond means you might be pulled to the same plane of existence as me. You could come back to life!”

Loki narrowed his eyes. He wondered where Thor was going with this. “Yes. Laufey said the same. But he said it’s a fifty-fifty chance. I could be pulled to you but you could be pulled to me too. I can’t imagine Zaaroc missed this conclusion.”

Thor looked surprised. “Laufey knows about soul bonds?”

“Yes….He is trained in sedir extensively. And he said Jotunheim used to have soul bonds in the past, when Ymir was still alive. But...a soul bond does more than bind emotions. Laufey explained that in a soul bond, the two souls are reshaped to become parts of one whole. Everything is shared. Even lifespan. When one person dies so does the other. Laufey said this was the reason the practice was discontinued.”

Thor nodded. The gears in his head turning. Zaaroc had said the same. But this was the first time the implications of the soul bond really sunk in. He and Loki would be bound forever. Noone else, no other person or relation would ever be able to compare to their bond if they indeed pursued it. What would that mean in the long term? What if down the line Loki fell in love with someone? Someone he might want to marry and have children with? Where would Thor fit in that dynamic? Thor realized that it would make things very awkward. There was no one else for Thor. If he could choose someone to settle down with it would be Loki. But that was his burden to bear. He could not make Loki love him. Not in the way he loved Loki. And he could not force Loki in a bond that he might resent one day. Zaaroc had been right in asking Thor to think very carefully before committing to the bond.

Loki bit his lip. He could see Thor was thinking about all he had said. About the bond. To be honest the idea of this bond dredged up long buried feelings in Loki’s heart. It sounded terribly romantic and Loki as per usual was stupid enough to let the idea lure him. But he couldn’t see this working out in the long term. Thor was to be king. He would marry. He would have children. Loki knew that if they pursued this bond, it would mean he might become a hindrance to Thor’s relationships. That was worse than fading away from Thor’s life. Thor would hate him. Loki didn’t know what he had been thinking. This soul bond thing was a bad idea.

“We don’t have to…” Thor and Loki spoke at the same time. Loki tilted his head, “Sorry. Continue.”

Thor looked hesitant, “No. You first….”

“That’s ok Thor. What I have to say isn’t all that important you go first…”

“Um….I was just saying we don’t have to go for this bond. We can find some other way to bring you back. You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to”

Loki blinked.  **He** didn’t have to do this. Did that mean Thor was ok with the bond? “Um...I don’t. I won’t mind it. Not with you I mean. But we need to think about this from all angles. Laufey says the bond cannot be forced. If anyone tries it would kill them.”

Oh. That was unexpected. Loki had always been a private person. Thor was sure he would find this bond too invasive even with Thor

“I feel like we are getting off track here. You wanted to ask me something. What does the bond have to do with who I met in Helheim?” Loki was getting confused.

Thor stiffened. Right. How to say this? Thor decided blunt was the best way to go, “Zaaroc said Odin was married. Before mother I mean. He said that Odin was married to Angrboda, Laufey’s sister and that they had a child called Hela. Zaaroc said that she is still alive and trapped in Helheim. But that’s ridiculous right? Odin couldn’t have hidden an entire marriage right? He couldn't, could he?”

Loki couldn’t help tensing. It seems he was out of time. He had wanted to be the one to tell Thor about Hela but Zaaroc beat him to it. 

Thor looked at Loki. He looked tense. The way he did when he was about to deliver bad news. Thor tried to tamp down the feeling of dread. No. It couldn’t be true.  **He** was Odin’s firstborn. It was what his whole life had revolved around. He was the firstborn of Odin son of Bor, the crown prince of Asgard. This was his identity. It couldn’t be a lie. It couldn’t.

Thor got up, restless, unable to decipher his own emotions. “No. No. This can’t... **I am Odin’s firstborn child** . It can’t...No...You’re mistaken...You and Zaaroc…” Thor turned to face Loki who had gotten up as well. He could see the sympathy on Loki’s face. Thor walked up to him, grabbing Loki by his shoulders. “Tell me this isn’t true. Please. Tell me Zaaroc is mistaken. Tell me she’s not real. Please…….”

Loki could do nothing but stare at Thor. He had no words that could take away Thor’s pain. “I’m sorry Thor. I can’t tell you what you want to hear. It would be a lie. And we have had enough of those to last ten lifetimes.” 

Thor let him go. Tears in his eyes. No. This couldn’t be true. Thor looked at the clear sky above him. It felt wrong. Like his whole life had been some tale spun by Odin. But the tale had shattered now. And it felt wrong. All his memories. His whole life. They all felt wrong. 

Loki wrapped his arms around Thor, “I’m sorry Thor. I truly am. I wish I could tell you it’s just a dream. Just a bad dream that will fade away. But it’s not. Angrboda was real. Her marriage to Odin was real. Hela is real. The life Odin spun for us was nothing but a lie. A beautiful lie to cover the bitter truth. I’m so sorry you had to find out like this.”

Thor wrapped his arms around Loki too. Burying his face in Loki’s shoulder. Trying to get a hold of his emotions. Seeking comfort. Needing it. “I’m sorry.” Loki spoke softly, bringing one hand up to Thor’s head. Tangling his fingers in Thor’s hair and cradling his head. “I’m sorry for what I’m about to do…”

Thor frowned. He tried to pull away. But Loki pushed his memories into Thor’s mind before Thor could break away from his hold.

_ Thor was at a dining table in a dimly lit dining hall. To his right was a woman with long black hair and green eyes and pale skin. Her clothes were black with green scattered here and there. She looked awfully similar to Loki when he was in his female form. The woman’s fingers were steepled under her chin and she was watching him with a small smile on her face. To his left sat Laufey _

_ “Go on cousin, eat, you need to build up your strength. You lost a lot of energy in that little mindscape of yours.” The woman’s tone was patronizing. Like she found all this amusing.  _

_ His surroundings spun. Thor was standing on a walkway made of ice. The walkway spiraled around a massive ice palace. It was built like a bridge. High above the ground. There was a massive palace and city made of ice. They were surrounded by huge mountains covered in snow. A natural defense. There were giant archways built in the palace. It had two domes and towers of ice surrounding it. The walkway was built such that it spiraled between the two domes and went over the archways. There were balconies built in the archway. _

_ “Utgard, the capital of Jotunheim” Thor looked behind him, it was the same woman from the dining hall. She walked up to him and the air around her shimmered. The woman came to stand beside him looking at the palace’s image. “At least this is how I remember it”  _

_ The scene shifted again. Thor was back in the dining hall. Laufey sat before him. The unknown woman sat beside him. "When I was two, news reached my father that Aunt Bestla was pregnant with her first child. She gave birth to a boy shortly after and he was named Odin. The boy had pale skin like the Aesir, but he had blue marks like the Jotunn and one of his eyes was also red like a Jotunn” _

_ Before Thor could react the scene shifted again. “Why would I look at your memories?!” It was Loki’s voice, but Thor felt as if he was the one who had spoken. He was standing away from the table, facing the unknown woman. She didn’t say anything, only looked at Thor or rather at Loki with a calm expression. _

_ The scene shifted. Thor was sitting in what he assumed was supposed to be a garden. This time the woman faced him while Laufey sat beside him. “As I said my sister Angrboda married Odin and a year later they had Hela. I married your mother Farbauti the same year. Hela did not have any Jotun markings but her form resembled my sister’s Aesir visage. Odin was half Jotun and Angrboda was a full blooded Jotun as a result Hela was more powerful than the average mix blood." _

_ There was a slight shift. Thor hadn’t changed position but he could tell he had skipped ahead in the memory. This time it was the woman who was speaking. “When I was born I had more power than the other half jotuns on Asgard. My power was being able to sense life. I could see souls and with my touch things just grew. I was able to coax the flowers in the garden to bud early and the trees to bear more fruit. Once I even found a direwolf pup that was dead on one the visits to Jotunheim. I could see its soul had not completely disappeared. I coaxed it back into its body. It came back to life. I then took it back with me to Asgard. I named it Fenrir. He became my constant companion.” _

_ The memories started moving faster now. The woman’s voice rattled inside Thor’s head. _

_ “Mother was beyond happy. She said that I had been blessed by the One Above All." _

_ “Odin on the other hand...well he saw a chance. A chance to build a perfect weapon. He had me train from a very young age. He consulted many mages to see how my powers could be used to kill.” _

_ “Bor reached out to King Calen of Vanaheim. He wanted to trade with them. King Calen sent his youngest daughter Princess Frigga as representative for the negotiations. I was in my teen years then.” _

_ “I remember Frigga. She was fascinated by my powers and taught me many healing arts that she knew. My mother and her became good friends. Odin liked her too. But then I suppose you know better just how much Odin liked her” _

_ “From one such union was born Heimdall. His father was Aegir of Asgard and his mother was Ran of Vanaheim.” _

_ “My powers grew stronger everyday. Uncle Laufey sent Menja the high priestess at the time to train me. From Vanaheim, Calen requested that Menja train his son Freyr as well. She tutored us both." _

_ “Sutur declared himself Supreme ruler of the realms and sent envoys demanding that all the other rulers come and bow before him or he would cut off their heads as well. Obviously the other rulers had no intentions of doing so. Bor, Odin and Laufey gathered their forces, this time joined by Calen and Aldon. Odin set me as the commander of the Valkyries and told me to stay back and defend Asgard with my mother." _

_ “Sutur and his army were no longer there. Instead they had travelled the secret path and were in Asgard. I only had the Valkyries and my mother. We quickly realized that her magic would not work against the fire demons. I used my powers to create a giant wall of trees around the palace. The Valkyries and Heimdall evacuated as many people as they could and hid them in the mountains." _

_ “That was the first time in my life that Odin praised me. He said that if it hadn’t been for me and my powers they would not have been able to defeat Sutur." _

_ "Etri succeeded his father Gamon as King of the dwarves. As a sign of gratitude, he forged a weapon for both me and Odin. To Odin he presented Gungnir and to me Mjolnir. Odin said there could never be another more worthy than me to wield Mjolnir. “ _

_ "But he called me to his bedside and said that he saw my grandmother Bestla in me. He said that I had her tenacity and he told me to hear all the advice but to listen to my heart. He told me: ‘Your mind may say it is right Hela but it is your heart whose judgement is true. For the heart always knows when something is wrong’ I think towards the end he knew that Odin only loved my power not me. He wanted me to be more than just a weapon. I wish I had listened to him” _

_ "Muspelheim was without a leader and Sutur’s son Skoll rose to the throne in his father’s stead. His mother Dykn advised him to make peace with the rest of the nine.” _

_ “The arguments between Odin and my mother got worse as the days progressed. Odin revealed to me that he himself had looked for a way to increase his own powers but alas due to his mixed blood it was not to be. He told me that I had in front of me an opportunity and that I shouldn’t waste it." _

_ "In the palace my mother fell ill. A fever took her and the healers were not able to determine what was wrong. Odin sent two messages, one to Frigga and the other to uncle Laufey. But he did not inform me." _

_ “The process would be painful. I was attempting to change my natural born channel and shape it in my desired form. Dykn warned me that a change like this could not be undone. She told me to take some time and think about it very carefully before I made a choice. But I….I was young. Odin had praised my efforts in stopping Sutur. He had looked at me with pride. He let me keep Mjolnir. He made me commander of the Valkyries. It felt like he finally saw me as a child he would be proud of. I knew mother would always love me. But I feared I would lose the respect I had earned in Odin’s eyes if I backed out now.” _

_ "Frigga was also a fertility goddess. She was a very well versed healer. She tried to repair mother’s channels but most healers themselves use sedir and with her channels damaged mother’s body refused to accept the healing magic. Frigga then tired to restore my previous power but the reworked channels could not be reverted” _

_ "Odin accused Skoll saying that he had poisoned mother in revenge over his father Sutur’s death. He commanded the Einherjar to arrest Skoll. Skoll of course resisted. In my anger I pulled at his thread of life, snapping it. He died immediately. Freyr, Frigga and Aldon all looked at me in fear. I could still feel Skoll’s soul. It was descending to Helheim. I took hold of it and snuffed it out like blowing out a candle. Odin declared that Skoll trying to escape was proof that he was the culprit and that I had rightfully taken his life.” _

_ “Frigga once again tried to heal her but she was completely unresponsive. We could only watch as she died. On her death I expected to see her soul ascend to Vahalla or descend to Helheim but it seems there was another spell on her. It activated the minute she died and before I could react it burned her soul as well. My mother was now gone from the universe. I would never see her again. She…” _

_ Here the memories faltered a little. The woman’s voice who Thor now realized was Hela broke. Thor felt the echo of Loki’s emotions. Loki empathized with Hela. Thor understood too. The loss of his mother still hurt.  _

_ The memories sped up again. Thor saw his sister through Loki’s eyes. Heard her tale through Loki’s ears. Heard how Odin used her. Saw the pain in her eyes. In Laufey’s eyes. Thor’s heart lurched when Hela spoke of how she had found his mother trying to kill herself. He felt the echo of Loki's anger as Laufey spoke of the destruction of Jotunheim. Felt Loki’s sorrow when Laufey spoke of Odin stealing him. So much horror. So much pain caused by one man. It wasn’t fair.  _

The memories slowly faded from Thor’s mind. He opened his eyes. He and Loki were still in a hug but Loki was sitting again, more holding Thor than hugging him. Thor pulled back. A little disoriented. His head still spun. It felt too full. His mind was still sorting the memories Loki had given him.

“Sorry. You needed to know. We did not have enough time for me to say all this. This was the quickest way.” Loki gently rubbed the edges of Thor’s forehead. He knew Thor would have a headache.

Thor shook his head. This was too much. Not only did he have a sister he had not known of but his father was a completely different man than the one Thor had thought he was. The doubt wouldn’t go away. He didn’t want to believe. He still wished Loki would just say this was all some horrible joke.

“You believe them?” Thor asked quietly. Even if Hela was his sister maybe she was lying about all Odin had done. Maybe Odin had bound her with good reason and she was trying to manipulate Loki and set herself free.

Loki nodded. “I didn’t. Not completely. I believed Laufey when he said Odin stole me. But I had my doubts about Hela. But I have been working with her. Studying the chain Odin bound her powers with. I have studied her sedir channels. They are reworked as she says. I have felt her emotions. Those cannot be faked. She speaks the truth.”

Thor put his head in his hands again. Of all the memories Loki had shared one in particular felt like a knife in Thor’s heart. “Did she really try to kill herself?”

Loki stiffened. Frigga. Of course that would bother Thor the most. Loki himself didn’t know what to make of it. “That is what Hela said….”

Thor’s shoulders shook as he cried. His mother wanted to get away from Odin so badly that she tried to kill herself. She had never loved Odin. She had another child. A child from a man she had truly loved. Thor wondered how she even managed to look at him all these years. Did she even want Thor? Was he conceived willing or had Odin… Thor couldn’t finish the thought. 

“Do you think….Do you think Odin….Do you think she wanted me? Or did Odin….” Thor didn’t know how to say this.

Loki caught on. He didn’t know. All Laufey and Hela knew was that Frigga negotiated with Odin. They married and had Thor. The union was obviously not what Frigga wanted but he didn’t think Frigga would have ever let Odin force her. Coerce yes. Force no. Although one could argue there wasn’t much difference between the two. There was one thing Loki was sure of though. “Odin may have forced Frigga to marry him. But I don’t believe for one second that she did not love you.”

Loki put his hands on Thor’s cheeks, turning his face up so that he could look at Loki. “She loved you. She loved me too. I was too blinded by my anger to see it. Yes it is true that she was trapped with Odin. If she had been given a choice she would never have married Odin. But don’t tarnish her love by saying she didn’t want you. Maybe she never expected you would exist. But I don’t believe she would blame you for Odin’s actions. She wasn’t like that. She raised us as best as she could despite her circumstances. She never once faltered. Not once in all these years did she stop supporting us. No matter how many mistakes we made. No matter how many times we let her down….”

Thor couldn’t stop the overwhelming sadness he felt on behalf of his mother.. “But she was trapped. She was as much a prisoner as the criminals in our dungeons. All these years….And what about her child? The one she had to hide. The one she had to leave behind...It must have hurt her so much. Where do we even look for this child? Do you think they are still alive?”

Loki had thought about it. Hela and Laufey had said that for a time Frigga had completely disappeared. She wasn’t on Jotunheim or Vanaheim or Alfheim. Which meant she had escaped to another realm till her child was born. Muspelheim was not an option. It was too damaged by the previous wars. Nidavellir served Asgard and Etri would never take such a big risk. That left only one option. Midgard. A realm the other races never took seriously. The mortals’ lives were too short to build long term relations. So it was left alone. Even Odin couldn’t care less about it. A backward realm with a primitive race of beings. In other words the last place anyone would even think to look. The perfect place to hide. Loki suspected this was where she had hidden her child.

Thor was waiting. Loki looked at him, “I think….well I thought about it and I think she went to Midgard. It’s the only place that makes sense. Muspelheim was a ruin. Nidavellir would not be able to hide her. Etri would never take such a big risk. She did not go to Laufey. And really who would even think to look at Midgard. The mortals couldn’t have hurt her even if they tried. Especially not back then. They were too primitive at that time. It’s the only place I can think of.”

The idea sparked in Thor’s mind. What had Zaaroc told him? That he had been born on Midgard. That his father had wanted peace but  **circumstances** had been against him. And later he had shouted that Odin had murdered his father and forced his mother to leave him behind. Could it be? Well anything was possible these days. For all Thor knew  **he** might have a child somewhere that he didn’t know of.

Loki frowned. Thor was lost in his thoughts again. “Thor? It’s just a theory. I can’t be sure. Midgard is so crowded. I have no idea where we could even begin…”

Thor shook his head to clear his mind. He would confront Zaaroc first then tell Loki if he indeed was right. “You’re right...We don’t know where to look.” Thor sighed. This was a mess. He had a sister, who was trapped by his father. His father was a terrible and cruel man who had ruined many lives. His mother didn’t love his father. She had a child who was possibly the cousin Thor had despised until recently. It was all a huge mess. But Loki was right about one thing, his mother had never ever treated Thor with anything but love. He should cherish the memories he had of her instead of doubting her love.

Thor pushed all his emotions down. There were more important things to dwell on than how hurt he was by all these revelations. So he had a sister and possibly a half brother. No big deal. It could have been worse. He could deal with his emotions later. They needed to sort other things out first. 

“I and Zaaroc were looking through some of mother’s books that I had brought with me. One of them said that it’s possible to bring people back if the thread connecting their soul to their body is tied back. But we weren’t sure if there was someone who could do this. Well I wasn’t sure. Zaaroc obviously knew about Hela who had this power. The conversation devolved from there. I know now from the memories you gave me that she has done this before. With Fenrir. Hela brought him back to life. Can she help you? Now I mean. Her powers have changed haven’t they?” Thor wondered if Hela was still able to connect threads like she used to.

Loki bit his lip, “She can’t tie the thread back but she can still see it. She can guide another mage. They have to be very skilled. Preferably Jotun as they are taught about connections from a young age and are better trained at it. Hela would then be able to guide them and they should be able to do it. There is another problem though. The chain Odin has bound Hela with prevents her from communicating with others. She is not able to enter the dreamscape of anyone outside Helheim. The chain is connected to Odin and it seems Odin is growing weaker and so is the chain. Hela and I might be able to break another link and open her to communications but it could take time. I’m not sure how much time we have. You are on Midgard but Odin won’t let you stay there forever. He is bound to send someone after you sooner or later. I’m worried he will find out about the existing bond”

Thor was worried too. If Odin found out about the bond, he would do everything in his power to break it. Dread filled Thor. Loki’s body was still in Svartalfheim. Odin was well aware of this. What if he did something to Loki’s body? From Loki’s memories Thor knew that Odin had desecrated the body of Dykn. What if he did the same to Loki? They didn’t have time. They had to act fast. They had to act now. No matter the risks. They had to figure this out before the chance was taken from them. Thor wanted to be sure though that Loki wanted this bond. He would not be able to bear it if Loki changed his mind down the line.

“I am worried too. You are right. Odin must not find out about the bond.” Thor put his hands over Loki’s, “But before we go further…..are you sure you will be okay? With this. With the bond becoming a soul bond. Are you sure you want to do this?”

Loki pulled his hands from Thor’s. “Why are you so convinced I don’t want this? If there’s anyone who shouldn’t want the bond, it would be you. You have to think about your relationship with Jane Foster. Now that you know a soul bond can bind lifespans are  **you** sure you want this? With me. Wouldn’t you rather bind yourself to Jane Foster instead?”

Loki tried to keep the annoyance out of his voice. He was not jealous of Jane Foster. That would be terribly childish of him. If Thor liked her then it wasn’t her fault. Hating her would be stupid and pointless. Besides if Thor wanted to settle down with someone, Jane was one of the better choices out there. He just wanted Thor to think about the future rather than just the here and now.

Thor frowned then realized Loki did not know his relationship with Jane had ended. He was just trying to make sure Thor wasn’t making any rash decisions. Not that it would have been an issue. Thor would choose Loki always. “No….I….Jane and I are no longer together. We decided we were better off as friends. I am staying at her house at the moment but….we are not together…..not anymore….”

Oh. Loki tamped down the hope that bubbled in his chest. That did not change anything. “Still. I don’t see how….somewhere over the years you will like someone else. The bond...I’m not sure how…..I don’t want you to hate me over it.”

Thor immediately protested. “Never. I won’t hate you Loki. I can’t. And the same can be said for you. You might find someone down the line and wish to settle down with them. Would you resent the bond then? Would you hate me for it?”

Loki bit his lip hard to stop himself from blurting out something he might regret. How could he explain to Thor that he was not going to find ‘someone’? He already knew who he wanted. His stupid idiot of a brother who was actually his cousin, who kept insisting that he wanted a soul bond with Loki. Thor had no idea how it sounded to Loki. It felt like a proposal. It was all Loki could do to not hug Thor and confess all his feelings. That would be a disaster. Thor could never find out how much Loki really loved him. That was Loki’s burden to bear.

“No….I won’t hate you. I never could. Even when you put your friends above me. I have been angry but I never hated you.” Loki looked down at his hands, his hair falling over his face, partially hiding it from view.

Thor resisted the urge to brush Loki’s hair away from his face. If he touched Loki now, he was bound to do something stupid, like kiss him. And then where would they be? He did lean down to catch Loki’s gaze, “It is decided then. We will go for the soul bond. It will be our bond. We can decide what to make of it. It won’t interfere, not if we choose to not let it.” 

If Thor had to live his entire life keeping his feelings in check, it was a small price to pay for bringing Loki back. Maybe this was how the Norns deemed it. He was not going to throw away the opportunity to have Loki back for his wayward emotions. That was unthinkable.

Loki nodded. If Thor was willing then Loki was willing too. He would just have to keep his emotions in check. All the time. Always. But it was a small price to pay for coming back to life. His wayward emotions would never cause Thor any pain. Loki would make sure of it.

Loki felt the drain of having been in the dreamscape for so long. Thor noticed it. “You need to go back. I plan to speak to Queen Farbauti. If she will allow me to. She needs to know about you, about the bond, about everything. I can ask her if there are any talented mages in Jotunheim who specialize in sensing connections. You said the chain Odin has bound Hela with is growing weaker. I can look in mother’s books to see if there is anything there that can help us break it completely. I want to speak with Hela. Face to face.”

Loki nodded. Thor moved to get up but Loki caught his arm. “Thor…..if you want to talk….about Odin….about Frigga or Hela or anything else I am here for you. I’m not saying you have to sort through your emotions here and now, but please don’t ignore them. Take it from me, it does not help to push down your feelings. That will only make it worse.”

Thor looked at Loki, he could see the pain in Loki’s eyes. Of course Loki’s life had been uprooted too a few years ago. He understood how Thor felt. Thor nodded. He will take Loki’s advice seriously. He will work through his emotions. Just not right now. Right now bringing Loki back was more important.

“I know. I’m not ignoring them. I just...I can’t do this right now. We need to figure out the bond first. My feelings can wait a little longer.”

Loki wanted to protest, but he could see Thor had made up his mind. He let it go. For now. “Ok. I shall see you again soon, yes?”

Thor pulled his arm out of Loki’s grip and nodded getting up, “Yes. Soon. I will have Zaaroc contact Queen Farbauti immediately. You work on ensuring Hela is able to communicate. I will also retrieve your body from Svartalfheim. We cannot wait anymore. Zaaroc has placed many wards and illusions to prevent Heimdall from seeing into Jane’s house but the risk is still there. We have to speed up the process.”

“I agree. Hela and Laufey are doing the best they can to figure out a way for Hela to communicate. They have a better understanding of how bonds work. Hela also said that Freyr and Freya are a bonded pair. Maybe contact them as well? They can help us”

Loki got up with effort. He was tired again. It was beginning to frustrate him. Thor caught him before he could fall down from the dizziness. “Loki!” Loki leaned heavily against Thor, he felt so weak. 

“Loki! Hey!” Thor tapped Loki’s cheek to gain his attention. Loki blinked blearily at him. “Don’t fall asleep! You need to go back. Come on. We will talk again only when everything is sorted on my end. Ok?”

Loki nodded. He pushed himself away from Thor tiredly reaching for the connection his soul now had to Helheim. Loki pulled at it. The dreamscape faded. The last thing Loki saw was Thor’s worried face.

TBC….

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Loki could have sat down and repeated everything Hela and Laufey told him to Thor but that would be repetitive for us as readers who already have the complete picture. It also makes more sense for Loki to share his memories as the dreamscape offers limited time and Odin is a very real threat for Thor and Loki and co. Loki needed for Thor to be all caught up and fast. And as he said this was the quickest way.  
> The next few chapters will probably jump from place to place as Thor and Loki prepare for the bond...  
> Also yes, Thor and Loki are both convinced that their feelings are unrequited. It's not true of course but things can't be that easy can they? 😉


	22. Revelations (part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some more revelations and plans for the future.

Jane stared at Thor. He was still communicating with Loki. He had been crying in between. Tears leaking out the corners of his eyes. Jane assumed Loki was telling him what Zaaroc had told her. About Asgard, about Odin. She was still processing everything Zaaroc had said. It was all so messed up. It must be even worse for Thor. Odin was his father. If everything Zaaroc said was true then Jane expected Thor was going to be even more crushed than he had been when he first showed up at her doorstep. Jane looked at Zaaroc. He was sitting cross legged on the floor, leaning back against the wall, his eyes were closed but they were moving rapidly beneath his eyelids. 

After their talk which had taken the entire afternoon, Thor still hadn’t woken up. Zaaroc said it was possible that time was moving at a different pace in the dreamscape. It must not have been that long for Thor although it had been hours for them. He had decided to use the time to talk to his uncle and Loki’s mother. That had been a surprise. Zaaroc said he and Thor had found a way to bring Loki back to life. Jane still didn’t know what to make of it.

It was true she no longer thought of Loki as a villain but she wasn’t sure what she felt about him coming back. Zaaroc had explained how the relations between Asgard and Jotunheim became so bad. He had also explained the prejudice Asgard held for the Jotun much more in depth. Hearing all that Jane was now sure that when Thor had been exiled to Earth, Loki had suffered a severe mental breakdown, made worse by the actions of the people around him. Add to that all the bias Odin had raised Thor and Loki on and no wonder things had taken a turn for the worse.

Zaaroc firmly believed that someone had coerced Loki into attacking New York. He said it made no sense for Loki to attack Earth. He had no enemies here. All his anger was towards Odin. It was also unclear how he got an army when all he had was the clothes on his back when he chose to let go on the Bifrost. That was a valid question. It did seem odd for Loki who had been suicidal to suddenly make a 180 turn and decide to conquer a realm instead. In Jane’s opinion armies took time to build. Loki had been gone for only a year. No way was it possible that he amassed such a huge army in such a short time. Especially since according to Zaaroc he wouldn’t have had the resources to hire so many soldiers. Something was definitely wrong with that picture.

But she was still not sure about this whole bringing Loki back to life thing. Maybe Jane had read Pet Sematary one time too many. Thor gasped. Jane turned her attention to him. The ring had stopped glowing. Thor blinked a few times, trying to clear his vision. He rubbed his eyes and slowly got up. His back hurt from being in the same position for too long. He turned and saw Jane was sitting on the floor beside the couch. Looking at him with a concerned expression. Thor looked around and saw Zaaroc sitting against the wall. He could see Zaaroc’s eyes moving rapidly beneath his eyelids. He was conversing then probably with either Freyr or Farbauti. Good. They needed to plan faster.

Jane looked at Thor looking at Zaaroc. He appeared to be thinking. “Hey.” Thor turned to face her. “So…..how is Loki? You said the dreamscape was draining for him and you’ve been gone all afternoon.”

Thor blinked and looked at the watch on the living room’s wall. It was five o'clock now. He had been gone all afternoon. “Oh. There must be a time difference in the dreamscape. It only felt like an hour to me.” This must be why Loki felt so drained. The time they were spending in the dreamscape was actually a lot longer than it appeared.

Jane cleared her throat, “So, soul bond huh. I have to tell you a few months back I wasn’t even sure we all had souls. Let alone that they could be bonded like this….”

Thor blinked. His brain was still catching up to his surroundings. He felt sluggish and slow. Zaaroc must have talked with Jane. “Yes. Well it’s still a work in progress. Did Zaaroc tell you what it would mean for Loki?”

Jane nodded, “Yeah...he said you could bring Loki back to life. Which sounds insane by the way. Are you sure you want to do this?”

Thor frowned. “Yes. Of course. If there is a way to bring Loki back I would leave no stone unturned until I have found it.”

“No, I mean, what if something goes wrong? What if the Loki you bring back isn’t the Loki you have been talking to? I can’t tell you how many books there are on the bad consequences of bringing people back from the dead. Ever read a book called Pet Sematary?”

Thor was confused, “No? Jane, this is different. Loki’s body was buried. He is Jotun. They have extremely superior healing rates. His body would still be as it was when he died. It would not have decayed at all, if that’s what you are worried about. As for things going wrong. We are going to plan thoroughly before we attempt anything. Don’t worry. Loki will be the Loki he has always been.”

Jane was still not sure. But there was so much she didn’t understand about magic. Thor would know better than her. She still had questions though, “And what about this soul bond thing? Zaaroc said your lifespan and Loki’s would be bound like they would be in sync. If one died so would the other. At least that’s what he said. He also said you would be able to feel each other’s emotions. It sounds very intimate to me. Are you sure about this? I don’t think you can go back on this decision later.”

Thor stiffened. How to explain this without sounding like he was hopelessly in love with Loki? He tried to be casual about it. “Yes. I’m sure. Between me and Loki, it’s not so easy to be killed. We have always been close. I doubt the bond is going to make that much of a difference….” Thor trailed off at the expression on Jane’s face.

“Right. Of course. No difference right? Just that you would be able to feel Loki’s emotions and you both will apparently become two parts of a whole. But that’s just the typical sibling bond right?” Jane raised one eyebrow unimpressed, “You do realize Thor that subtlety is not exactly your strong point. And I’m not stupid you know. Have you ever heard yourself talk about Loki? You talk about him an awful lot too.” Jane tapped the space beside Thor’s right eye, “It’s your eyes. They light up every time someone mentions Loki. They give you away.”

Thor looked down at his hands. “Jane….I…..” Thor didn’t know what to say. He couldn’t look at Jane. He didn’t want to see the disgust on her face. Not again. Not for this.

Jane bit her lip. That came out a little harsher than she wanted. Zaaroc had told her that Loki was technically Thor’s cousin. Jane thought he was trying to convince her to accept Thor’s feelings. She was pretty sure Zaaroc had caught on too. And really Thor’s uncle was married to his aunt. Thor was an alien from another planet. Who was Jane to judge who he should and shouldn’t love? As far as Jane was concerned Thor’s relationships were his business. She just didn’t want him to make any rash decisions that he would later regret.

Jane put a hand on Thor’s shoulder, “I’m sorry. That was a little harsh. I wasn’t being angry or judgemental. I mean….I’m not sure how I feel about this. But honestly I don’t really know Loki. I don’t know you that well either. I have no idea what your relationship with Loki was like before. I’m nobody to judge it. Your people live for thousands of years. I can’t imagine how that affects your relations. I will say this though. This soul bond is serious and permanent. Thousands of years is a long time to regret something Thor. Please think about it. Don’t make a choice in a hurry because you feel in the moment like there’s no other way. There is always another way. Always another choice that could have been made”

Thor was sure he was gaping. “You….you don’t…..You’re not disgusted? You don’t think it's wrong?” Jane had been a very good friend. But really Thor had never expected this.

Jane shrugged “My mother taught me that we can’t choose who we fall in love with. She said love comes from the heart and the heart does not look at rules or logic. It looks at the soul, at the person not their gender or their past or anything else. Even if I was against it I can’t make you stop loving Loki. No one can. You cannot make someone love you but can’t stop someone from loving you either. The heart wants what it wants.”

Thor swallowed past the emotions threatening to overwhelm him. He was once again struck with the thought that he had never truly had real friends. He couldn’t imagine the warriors three or Sif would ever have shown this kind of acceptance. No. Rather they might have blamed Loki. Saying he had bewitched Thor. Because Norns forbid Thor be capable of knowing what he wanted. 

“Thank you Jane. I don’t know what to say…...Thank you for everything. For opening your home, for listening and accepting and never judging. Thank you…” 

Jane got on her knees and hugged Thor, “You don’t have to thank me Thor. This is what friends do. They accept you for who you are.”

Thor hugged her back. Yes. That was what friends did. The real ones anyways. Jane pulled back. She looked at Zaaroc, he was still not here. “How about we make coffee? You can tell me what Loki thinks about this bond thing. I don’t think Zaaroc is moving anytime soon. He said he was going to contact your uncle and Loki’s mother. I assume it’s a long conversation.”

Thor nodded. “Yes. Queen Farbauti needs to know about my bond with Loki. She…..all these years she thought Loki was dead. And then by the time she found out Loki had been in Asgard all along…..She will want to know that we have a way of bringing him back.”

Jane felt really bad for Loki’s mom. Zaaroc said that Loki had been born to her very late in her marriage. And then she spent all these years thinking he was dead because of Odin. Now she finds that Loki had been alive all along only to learn that he was actually dead this time. Jane couldn’t imagine how much pain the woman must have felt. Must still feel even now. 

Thor got off the couch and rolled his shoulders to get the kinks out of them. He saw that his mother’s books were piled up on the center table. Thor picked them up. He could look through them to see if there was anything that could help Hela break free of the chain that bound her powers. 

Hela. Thor’s older sister. It still felt strange. Thor had always been the older sibling. It felt odd to think that he had an older sibling. Two if he counted Zaaroc. But Thor was used to Zaaroc. He had never met Hela. The memories Loki gave him were not enough to get a read on how she was as a person. Thor supposed he would have to ‘roll with it’ as the humans said.

Jane and Thor made their way to the kitchen. Thor put all the books on the kitchen counter and sat on a stool, picking a random book from the pile to search for information. Jane turned the coffee machine on and put the pot beneath it, waiting for it to brew. The books were interesting. They were all written in a language Jane couldn’t read. Zaaroc said they belonged to Queen Frigga. Jane still felt guilty about her death. Especially now that she knew Frigga had been a prisoner of Odin most of her life. She deserved to see the day Odin was brought to justice. But she never will. Not now. All because of Jane…

“Jane?” Jane turned around, Thor was looking at her with a frown on his face. “Uh yeah?”

Thor frowned at Jane. He had called her name twice already. “I was asking….what did Zaaroc tell you? I mean what did you talk about? If you don’t mind me asking.”

Jane blinked, “No. Of course not. You can ask. He told me about the bond and your plan of bringing Loki back. He……he also told me about Jotunheim and Alfheim and Vanaheim and Asgard and all the wars. Why they were fought….everything that Odin did……” Jane trailed off. She didn’t want to offend Thor. She wasn’t sure how much Zaaroc and Loki had told him.

Thor sighed and closed the book, putting it on the table. He rubbed his forehead. He could feel a headache forming. “He told you about that, did he? He told how terrible Odin is? All the horrible, disgusting things he did? How he murdered his wife and manipulated his daughter and forced my mother to marry him? The great and noble Odin. He who is respected in all the nine for his just ways.” 

Thor scoffed. The hurt had faded and the anger was back. Thor was angry. So so angry. He wanted to march up to Odin right now and demand answers. Why? Why had Odin done all this? He had everything. He had a kingdom, a wife and a daughter. He had good relations with his neighbors. He could have lived out his life in peace. He could have bound Asgard and Jotunheim together for many generations to come. Then why? Why did he do all this? For power? For gold? What good were they? Could he carry them with him to the afterlife? He ruined so many lives. Caused so much pain. Did he really think there would never be any retribution? Any justice? 

Jane was standing beside him, looking at him worriedly. Thor realized he had been speaking out loud. He was gripping the kitchen counter hard. The wood had cracked from the force he was using. Thor could feel his own power. It was pulsing. He could feel the skies. The thunder. A few sparks left his fingers. Jane tilted her head as she heard the rumbling of clouds. 

“Odin should have let you learn sedir. You need better control” It was Zaaroc. He was standing in the doorway of the kitchen. 

Thor looked at him, the lightning had climbed to his eyes and they were completely white-blue, the pupils and irises no longer visible. Jane was surprised by the change not having expected it. The sparks were now covering Thor’s forearms.

“Calm down Thor.” Zaaroc stepped into the kitchen and pulled Jane away from Thor. “You’ll bring the entire house down on us. Get a hold of yourself. I was pulled from my conversation with Freyr because my wards warned me someone was using raw sedir. You have to control the power.”

Thor could hear Zaaroc. But he had trouble thinking. He felt so angry. It overwhelmed him. He could feel his core of power, pulsing, angry, looking for release. He wanted Odin. He wanted Odin to pay for everything he had done. For ruining his life, Loki’s life, his mother’s life and so many other lives. Thor clutched his head. It was throbbing. The lightning covered the kitchen counter.

“Thor! Stop!” Zaaroc grabbed Thor’s shoulder and shook him. “Stop it! You are going to hurt yourself.” Zaaroc cast a bubble around himself and Thor to stop the lightning from reaching the electrical wiring in the house. That would end in disaster. 

He turned Thor around to face him. Bringing his own power to the surface and pushing it at Thor. Loki’s ring responded, the protective spells activating at Zaaroc’s power. Thor felt Loki’s power that he had imbued in the ring. It was like the wind on a cold winter morning. It shocked Thor. He shook his head, the lightning faded.

Zaaroc waved the bubble away. That was a close call. Thor looked around, a little confused. Jane was standing in the doorway looking at him warily. Zaaroc was in front of him, his arms crossed. He didn’t look angry but he didn’t look happy either. “Uh….sorry...I….what happened?”

Zaaroc sighed. “Well you just discovered you don’t need Mjolnir to call your power to the surface. Oh and you also lost control over it and almost brought the house down.”

Thor felt a strange buzzing in his head. He realized that it was his own power. It felt like Thor had been expecting a well and had stumbled on a lake instead. He could now feel his power, just beneath his skin. Had it always been there? In the past Thor always needed Mjolnir to pull his power from his core and use it. But now he felt it right there, waiting to be used.

“That was unexpected,” Jane stepped up to Thor. “What happened? We were talking and you were angry at Odin and then the lightning just started pouring out…”

Zaaroc nodded as if that made sense, “Strong emotions can bring powers to the surface. Sedir users are taught to be level headed at all times. No one wants to end up hurting someone just because they got overwhelmed and lost control. Thor of course skipped that part courtesy of Odin.”

Thor shook his head again to clear it. That did make sense. “Oh.” He looked at Jane and Zaaroc. “I’m sorry…..I didn’t mean to….I’m sorry..”

“It’s alright Thor. It’s not really your fault. Odin should have trained you in sedir. You need it. This is good actually. Like I said it means you don’t need Mjolnir to use your powers. That is good. Heavy reliance on one weapon, especially for sedir is always a bad idea. At some point I do want to sit down with you and work on control though”

Thor nodded. “Yes of course. Did you talk to Freyr and Queen Farbauti? I talked to Loki....How long?”

Zaaroc frowned. “How long what? I did talk to them both. My conversation with Freyr was cut short but that’s alright. All the important discussions were over”

Thor crossed his arms. “How long have you known? About Hela….Odin…..everything.”

Zaaroc stiffened, “I didn’t, not when I was young. Freyr didn’t want to burden me. But he had to tell me…...especially when…..” Zaaroc rubbed his forehead in frustration. “Thor I’m sorry for yelling at you like that. It’s…..whatever Odin did…..is still doing….it’s not your fault. I was supposed to be patient about this. I’m sorry…..I just blurted it out like that. That's not how you were supposed to find out.”

Thor looked at his hands, “I don’t think there is any good way to find out your father has a hidden daughter. Or a wife that he murdered.”

Zaaroc winced. So, Loki had told Thor everything. That was good. The secrets had gone on for too long. Zaaroc and Freyr had decided that Thor needed to know about Zaaroc too. That he was Thor’s half brother. It was the last piece of the puzzle. His identity as Frigga and Vuco’s child was hidden from everybody but Thor needed to know. 

“Still….I could have had that conversation patiently. That’s my fault. I’m sorry.” Zaaroc wondered how to tell Thor he was his half brother.

Thor looked up. “It’s alright. Loki shared his memories. The ones where Hela and Laufey told him everything. Zaaroc….I….I know mother was married before she married Odin. I know she was pregnant. Neither Hela nor Laufey know what happened to her child. But….Loki suspects that she hid her child on Midgard…..when you….you said you were born on Midgard….does that….are you…..” Thor ran a hand through his hair. “Damn. I don’t know how to ask this…”

Jane looked from Zaaroc to Thor. Zaaroc had said Frigga had been married and pregnant, but he said that it was unknown where her child was. Was Thor implying what she thought he was implying?

Damn. Zaaroc had forgotten how good Loki was at putting clues together. He had always been good at reading between the lines. Of course he would figure it out. Zaaroc sat beside Thor putting his head in his hands. “Yeah….My father was Vuco, King of Alfheim and my mother was Frigga of Vanaheim. She came here because Odin was chasing her. He wanted her to be his wife. She was scared if Odin found out about me, he would kill me. She hid me here with Lael and Aerin and told everyone she miscarried and lost the child. Even Freyr didn’t know until after the war between Asgard and Jotunheim was over. Queen Frigga…..mother did not want to tell him but Laufey’s trip to Midgard drew Odin’s attention here. She got worried and told Freyr in the hope that he would be able to hide me better. She also wanted to be able to see me at the very least. She wouldn’t be able to do that if I was on Midgard….”

Thor didn’t know what to feel. That thought was back. That maybe his mother hadn’t wanted him. That Odin had forced her and… But Thor was being selfish here. He couldn’t imagine how Zaaroc must feel. His mother…..their mother had been there in front of his eyes the whole time and yet Zaaroc couldn’t ever call her mother. He hadn’t been there at her funeral. Zaaroc had spent his whole life staring at their mother from behind a glass wall, unable to acknowledge their relation. No wonder he hated Odin so much. How could he not?

“I’m sorry. I can’t imagine…..did you ever get a chance to talk to her? To…” Thor trailed off. He didn’t want to open any wounds.

Zaaroc nodded. “Yes. A few times. Here and there every few centuries. We talked through dreams. She was always afraid that Odin might find out. I wanted to tell Loki at least but mother and Freyr and everybody else wanted to wait until you were ruling. Until Odin had stepped down completely from the throne. But things didn’t really work out….” No things hadn’t worked out at all in any way. 

Thor and Zaaroc sat in silence lost in their thoughts. Jane put a bottle of whiskey in front of them. “Well I’m not sure if this is going to work for you but I think we all need a drink.” Jane grabbed a few glasses from a cabinet and poured the whiskey for them all. She added ice to hers but left Thor’s and Zaaroc’s neat. 

Zaaroc snorted. “I doubt that’s going to help. We probably need an entire barrel of mead to forget things for a while”

Thor huffed in agreement. “And some of those mushrooms you and Loki stole from the dwarves.”

Zaaroc looked offended, “Hey! We actually paid for those you know”

Thor rolled his eyes, “You got caught and had to pay a fine! It’s not the same thing”

“Don’t ruin it. It’s the principle of the thing” Jane sipped her whiskey.

Zaaroc shrugged and drank his in one go. Thor did the same thing. “Well now that’s out of the way. You want to hear what uncle Freyr and Queen Farbauti had to say?”

Thor nodded, “Yes. But before that. In the memories Loki shared, Hela said Odin bound her powers using a black chain that got absorbed in her skin. It’s like a giant tattoo all over her body. I saw in Loki’s memories that Hela has broken several links in the chain, allowing her to access more and more of her power. But Loki says she is still unable to communicate with others through dreams. It seems that any magic that requires Hela to leave Helheim’s natural and metaphysical boundaries is blocked. Maybe we can ask around if there is anyone who would know how to remove the chain”

Zaaroc perked up. “That’s interesting. We all guessed that Hela was bound somehow but we had no idea how. We were not able to contact her and had no other way of finding out. When we talk to Freyr later tell him everything Loki told you, he might know where to start looking for a solution. It sounds like the kind of magic the fire demons use.”

Thor nodded, “Does that mean Queen Farbauti does not want to speak with me?” Thor wanted to deliver the news of his bond to Loki personally.

Zaaroc shook his head, “No..no. She is willing to talk to you. But we have to be extra careful. We will both be in the dreamscape for this conversation. Freyr says it's better to contact him and Queen Farbauti separately. With a gap between the two conversations so that we are able to keep an eye on the wards. That’s actually what I did as well. I talked to them both separately”

Thor nodded. That made sense. “What did Freyr say about the bond? Loki told me he and Freya have a soul bond too and that Jotunheim used to have them back in the days of Ymir.”

“Yes. That was a surprise for me too. I didn’t know Freyr and Freya were soul bonded. Freyr that was the only reason Freya did not die when Odin….” Zaaroc trailed off. That particular deed of Odin still sent chills down his spine “Anyways, Freyr said that for at least a year after the bond is formed you will need to stay in proximity to Loki. Like in the same house at the very least. Separation so early after the bond is formed would strain it and can cause complications, which we don’t want.”

“He also said that emotions are not shared continually over the bond. The parties can choose to keep their emotions to themselves. Set boundaries. But for the first year, those boundaries might not hold up all the time. It will get better as time progresses. It’s just something to keep in mind. The main thing Freyr said is that the bond can be formed only if both parties are willing. You can’t start forming the bond and then try to go back on it halfway. That will be very painful and can also result in death. I know I keep repeating this over and over, but please be sure you want this Thor. There’s no going back on it ever. What is done can never be undone. Remember that.” 

Thor nodded. He was sure. He wanted this. For more than just a means to bring Loki back. Thor wanted this. 

Zaaroc nodded. “Ok. I will choose to believe you have thought this through and can make your own choices. For the part where we bring Loki back. We need his body of course. We need a very talented mage. Something we will ask Queen Farbauti about. The Jotun are better at sedir than the other races. Freyr does think it’s doable. He said the bond allows you to locate your other half and bring you to them or vice versa. Freyr and Freya used this during the war to confuse the Asgardian army. We can use it to bring Loki to this plane of existence. As a soul Loki must have formed a connection to Helheim. We will have to cut it. That’s easily done. Hela has complete power over Helheim. It should be easy for her. The tricky part is that once that connection is gone, we will need to pull Loki here though your bond. That is completely up to you. No one can help you there.”

“Freyr says there’s a possibility Loki is lost to the void as his soul will be in a limbo once it’s ties to Helheim are cut. We have a very short window where the soul tries to find its place in Yggdrasil. This is the moment we pull Loki here. But you have to be perfect. There will be no second chances. If Loki is lost to the void now as a soul there’s no coming back from it. You  **will** be pulled as well and then you  **both** will be lost. We have to work on your sedir. You need practice. Lot’s of it”

“There is one more thing. Loki’s body is in the condition it was in when he died. Which is to say the wound he died from is still there. The soul bond will allow you to share the pain and even help heal Loki. But we still need a healer. A very good one. Another thing to ask of Queen Farbauti. I think….she....” Zaaroc got up and started pacing.

He looked at Thor. “Promise me you won’t react badly when I tell you this. Please”

Thor bit his lip. What was it now? Thor wasn’t sure how many more revelations he could take. “Ok. I promise. What is it?”

Zaaroc sighed. “You remember when Loki set the Bifrost on Jotunheim?” Thor nodded. “He used the Casket to make sure no one could close the Bifrost. And then you had to break the bridge as last resort and everyone thought the Casket was lost forever” Thor nodded. That day still haunted him. “Yeah….well turns out the Casket is not lost. It’s back on Jotunheim where it belongs.”

Thor got up and grabbed Zaaroc’s shoulders, “What are you saying?!! I saw it fall off the edge with the entire mechanism of the Bifrost!!”

Zaaroc pulled out of Thor’s grasp. “That did happen. But it did not fall into the void like everyone thought it did. The Casket latched onto the sedir of the Bifrost and when its rays fell on Jotunheim at first they caused destruction. But the Casket is the heart of Jotunheim. It recognized its home. And the destruction turned to creation. The Casket tapped into the ley lines and started reforming Jotunheim. Repairing damage that had been done by Odin”

“Did you see a replica of Yggdrasil made of ice form on top of the Bifrost mechanism by any chance?” Thor nodded. Yes he had seen it. A perfect replica of Yggdrasil made of ice at the point where the Bifrost was activated. “Well that’s it then. It was a sign. A sign of the Casket’s connection to Yggdrasil and to Jotunheim through it. When you broke the Bifrost bridge, the Casket's connection to Jotunheim's ley lines pulled it there. A chunk of the mechanism along with the Casket fell on the old ruins of the temple. The Casket sunk back to its sanctuary underneath the temple. Queen Farbauti is giving this news now because it took all of her and Jarnsaxa’s sedir to get to the Casket again and they had to make sure they were shielded from Heimdall”

Thor gaped. That was unbelievably good fortune. He thanked the Norns the Casket was back in its rightful place. It meant Jotunheim was no longer a dying realm. They could build themselves back to their former glory. Thor recalled the image of Utgard from Loki’s memories. It used to be so beautiful. Thor hoped it could be restored now.

“There’s more. According to Queen Farbauti the Casket’s sentience was very angry. Jarnsaxa determined that it had been misused. Its purpose twisted for selfish gain. Freyr and her came to the conclusion that Odin has been using the Casket as an anchor to connect to Asgard’s ley lines and consume more power than he could normally. They believe this is the secret behind the ‘Odinsleep’. It’s a cover for Odin using the Casket. I remember the blueprints of the palace. Loki showed them to me. The place where the Casket is kept is directly beneath the chamber Odin uses during Odinsleep”

Thor chose to ignore the part where Loki had shown important blueprints to Zaaroc and focused on what he was saying. Now that he thought about it. Odin’s last Odinsleep had ended abruptly. From the healers he had come to know that Odin woke shortly after Loki first set the Bifrost on Jotunheim. They said he had been disoriented like someone had ripped him out of the sleep. It was possible that when Loki called the Casket to himself and then set it on the Bifrost, Odin’s connection broke abruptly and caused him to wake up. He hadn’t had another Odinsleep since then. Even though it had become increasingly obvious in the past few months that he needed it.

It made sense that he couldn’t because the Casket was gone. There was no anchor. “That means Odin has no way of restoring his power. Loki did say the chain Hela is bound with is connected to Odin somehow and that it’s growing weaker. It’s possible that it is because Odin is not able to restore the power he is using like he used to.” Zaaroc nodded in agreement. 

“But then...Zaaroc said that before. I mean during the wars Odin was consuming other people’s sedir. What if he went back to doing that? Now that the Casket is gone as you say” Jane spoke up for the first time.

Zaaroc shook his head. “No. He would need a powerful mage for that. I mean to say he needs to consume the sedir of a powerful mage. On Asgard the most powerful mage was Loki after mother. They are both gone. Then there is Freyr and Freya. But things have changed and Odin can’t just abduct them. Not now. The dwarves don’t have the level of power Odin needs. Neither do the fire demons. Not anymore. According to Odin Jotunheim is a ruin and has had generations born without the Casket so no powerful mages can found there either at that's what Odin thinks.”

Zaaroc shook his head. “It’s funny you know. He dug this hole for himself. He wanted to be the supreme most powerful being in the nine. He did not want anyone on Asgard to match his power. Well now he’s stuck. There are no mages on Asgard with enough power that Odin can consume and be restored completely. There’s you. But well Odin can’t make you disappear. Too obvious.”

Jane snorted. “Serves him right. And it works for us right? It means you guys can use strong wards and Odin isn’t going to be able to break past them like he could have in the past.”

Thor nodded. Yes. It did work for them. “Yes. It does. So you’re suggesting we go to Jotunheim. You think the Casket can help Loki heal faster when he comes back”

Zaaroc nodded. “Yes and no. You and Loki are going to Jotunheim. I will stay here. Keep the illusion that you are here up. Just in case. I’m thinking I should just cast a glamour over myself so that I look like you. It’s easy enough for me to copy your mannerisms. There is the question of Mjolnir. But a glamour will be easier to maintain in the long term than a full fledged illusion.”

Jane leaned forward. “Why? What’s the difference? In both cases you are making something appear as something else.”

Zaaroc grabbed a book and waved his hand over making it appear like a cell phone. “It’s like this. In glamour, I’m simply changing the perception of a thing so that it appears as if it is something else.” Zaaroc waved a hand over the counter and a cell phone appeared beside the book turned cell phone. “In an illusion. I am attempting to make something appear where there is nothing. You understand what I’m trying to say?”

Zaaroc made a pattern with his finger. A circle of light appeared over both cell phones. The one that had been a book shimmered but still looked like a cell phone. The one Zaaroc had made from thin air shimmered and then fractured like a glass and then broke, disappearing. “See. An illusion is made of light that a mage or a witch solidifies and alters in their desired form. There’s no real object here. So a good probe spell will be able to break through it.”

Zaaroc pointed to the cell phone left. “But here, the book does exist. I simply changed its form. However it is real. So a probe spell which looks to see if something actually exists or not will not work. Because the book is real it’s not going to shatter or disappear. And from there it’s easy for a mage to maintain the shape they have given it. They don’t have to expend power to make it appear real. It is real. For the long term it’s best to use glamour rather than illusion.”

Zaaroc turned to Thor. “After the bond is formed, you will not be able to return to Asgard for a year at the very least. We’re going to need a very solid reason for that. Otherwise Odin can demand you come back and even send soldiers after you if you resist.”

Thor had thought about that. “When I asked for permission to come here, I said I was going to retrieve the scepter Loki used during the invasion. We can exploit that. Say that the humans misplaced it. That someone stole it and I’m chasing after them”

Zaaroc frowned. “Scepter? What scepter? Loki did not have any scepter made for him. He was planning to craft a spear since that’s the weapon he prefers when he’s not using his infamous daggers but he didn’t have any scepter. Not that I recall.”

Thor shrugged. “I don’t know where it came from. I’m not even sure it is Loki’s. But he had it when he showed up here. The scepter has the power to control minds. Loki used it on Erik and Barton and many others while he was here”

Zaaroc’s frown deepened. A scepter powerful enough to control not one but several minds at the same time. It sounded like the weapon was imbued with some very powerful sedir. “Interesting. We definitely need to find this scepter. It must have been imbued with sedir. If it can control minds then it’s a dangerous weapon. We can use that excuse. It’s reasonable. I suggest we retrieve this scepter and then just pretend like we are unable to locate it. It will buy us some time. Why did you even leave it here in the first place?”

Thor sighed. “I had no choice. I was taking the Tesseract and Loki. I had to give something in return or the authorities in New York would not have let me leave. In the grand scheme of things, the Tesseract and Loki took precedence. I did not want to leave either of them in the hands of SHIELD. I don’t trust them. And more than once Director Fury implied he was willing to torture Loki for information. I wasn’t going to leave Loki with them. Odin was no better. But I felt at least Odin and Asgard were familiar”

Zaaroc nodded. “Better the devil you know than the one you don’t. It was the right decision at the time. And really it’s going to help now. Are you tired or can we proceed with our talk to Freyr and Queen Farbauti? The sooner the better. We’re short on time. Lael should have passage to London by tomorrow and my contacts in London responded while you were with Loki. They can help get us to Svartalfheim. I can’t go. Like I that place messes with the sedir of the elves.”

Thor nodded. “That’s alright. Loki’s grave is not very far from the cave where the secret path is supposed to be. I will be quick. I do need tools though to dig.”

“Don’t worry about them. I’ll have them arranged. Come on let’s get the other conversations out of the way and then we’ll start packing.”

Thor nodded and turned to Jane. “I know. I know. You will be gone for a while. Use the living room. It’s...um six o’clock now. I am going to go and get a ton of food from Isabela. I have a feeling you both are going to be famished by the time you’re back. I’ll lock the door and you turn off the lights so no one disturbs you. Let’s take a raincheck on the whole getting drunk to forget our lives are a mess plan..”

Jane put the glasses in the sink and put the whiskey back in the top shelf of the cabinet. 

“Just tell me when we are going to do this next and I’ll bring my absolutely not stolen and totally paid for honestly mushrooms too.” Zaaroc smirked at Jane

Jane laughed. “I’m pretty sure those will kill me.” 

Thor shook his head. “No mushrooms for the fragile human or anyone else. They cause hallucinations. Come on, you can plan our get drunk party later. Let’s go we have a lot to do”

“This fragile human can take care of herself. Don’t forget how we met. I was chasing a storm if you recall”

“It’s a little fuzzy since you hit me with your car and all”

“Grazed! I just grazed you a little. I did not hit you. You fell from the sky. Literally! And that other time  **you** were the one who walked behind my car right as I was reversing it. I gave a signal!”

Zaaroc laughed. “Now that is a story I want to hear sometime. But Thor’s right. The plans to get drunk can wait. We have work to do. So children please fight later.”

Thor rolled and Jane rolled their eyes at Zaaroc. “Whatever. I am going. I have to get the food from the diner before Isabela runs out. Please don’t punch any more holes in the wall”

Thor and Zaaroc looked chastised enough by that. So Jane considered it a win. She grabbed her wallet and keys. The coffee was a lost cause. The machine had stopped during Thor’s light show. It was probably dead now. 

Thor and Zaaroc made their way back to the living room choosing to sit on the floor. Zaaroc held out his hands and Thor held them. They closed their eyes and Zaaroc pulled them in the dreamscape.

TBC…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well that is it for Thor catching up to things. From here it will be all about bringing Loki back. We are entering the final lap for this story in the series.


	23. Planning (part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Plans and plots.....

**Freyr’s Dreamscape**

When Thor opened his eyes he found himself in a room with a circular table. He was sitting on a chair with Zaaroc to his right. Before them sat Freyr. Thor looked at his uncle. He hadn’t seen him in a long time for nearly two centuries. His hair was greying and there were lines on his face that hadn’t been there the last time Thor saw him. He looked as composed as he always had. He was Vanir by birth but after spending so long among the elves, he dressed like them.

“Thor. It has been a long time.” Freyr looked at his nephew. Thor looked worn out. But that was to be expected. These past few months had been hard on them all. They had lost two key members of their family. Freyr had waited for this day for a long time. He had hoped to do this with his sisters beside him but it was not to be. Frigga was gone. Freya never truly recovered from her ordeal in Asgard. It was too painful for her to talk about it.

Freyr had been worried when Zaaroc told him how he had blurted some things out in anger. But Thor surprised him by choosing to go to Loki instead of Odin. He shouldn’t have been though. Loki and Thor had always been close as children. Frigga always complained how they snuck in each other’s beds even though they were in the same room. Freyr remembered Odin had to force them into separate rooms. He was sure that if Odin hadn’t done that, Thor and Loki might have continued to live in the same room well into their adult life. They would never even realize how it looked from an outside perspective.

Odin had done his best to drive a wedge between them. Freyr could tell over the years that their bond bothered Odin. He nearly succeeded too. The bond between Thor and Loki nearly broke in the decade leading up to Thor’s coronation and then of course things had gone from bad to worse. But now this. The ring, the mental link. It was like seeing the sun after a long night. Freyr could not bring back his sister but he could bring back his nephew. Loki might not be his blood but Freyr still considered him family. He would do everything in his power to help him. Help them both.

Zaaroc spoke up, interrupting Freyr’s thoughts. “Loki has told Thor everything. He knows. About Angrboda, Hela, mother everything. I told him what Queen Farbauti told us about the Casket.”

Freyr raised his eyebrows in surprise. Zaaroc called Frigga mother. Loki had no way of knowing Zaaroc was Frigga’s son. Hela and Laufey didn’t know. 

“Loki didn’t tell me about Zaaroc directly. But from all the information Hela and Laufey gave him, he realized that mother might have hid her child on Midgard. Zaaroc told me just this morning that he had been born on Midgard. It was not very hard from there.”

Ah. Of course. Loki was as always too good at reading between the lines. “We would have told you Thor. Frigga wanted too many times over the centuries. But the risk was too great. If Odin got even a hint of who Zaaroc really is he would not have hesitated. He would have killed us all. He had you. He had Loki. He had all he wanted from Frigga. He didn’t really need her anymore.”

Zaaroc winced at Freyr’s wording. Thor looked like he had been slapped. Freyr controlled his emotions. “I’m sorry. That was harsh. But it’s the truth. Since Heimdall’s birth Odin was convinced that he needed to have a Vanir wife. I and Freya were already bound. So he pursued Frigga. It has taken many years to soften Odin’s view of her. In the beginning the marriage was hard for her. Odin watched her every move. He kept a very tight leash.”

Thor looked at his hands on the table. It made sense now why his mother always kept saying that Odin did everything for a reason. The words were more for Odin’s ears than his. Once more Thor was struck with a deep sadness for his mother. “But let’s keep the past in the past. I think we have dwelled on it enough. Let’s look to the future. You want to pursue a soul bond with Loki? I take it Zaaroc has relayed all the information I gave him about the soul bond”

Thor nodded, “Yes. I have spoken to Loki as well. He has agreed to it too. We both want this bond. Zaaroc said that it would take a year for it to settle completely. I am currently on Midgard. I got permission from Odin to retrieve a weapon Loki used during the invasion. I can say that I am having trouble locating it to stall Odin for a few more months. But a year is a long time. I’m not sure Odin will have that much patience. He might demand that I return to Asgard. I need a better excuse.”

Freyr thought about it. The first year after the bond is very crucial. Thor and Loki needed more than time. They needed privacy. With Frigga gone, there was no one who could tell Freyr what Odin was truly upto in that palace of his. He had received reports from his spies that Odin was growing weaker. His age catching up to him. There were rumors that the council wanted Thor on the throne now. It had been the same for Bor. History seemed to be repeating itself.

Freyr rubbed his chin in thought, “I have heard Odin grows weaker everyday. There is one more thing. Heimdall’s sight is growing weaker as well. I have wards set up around the palace to detect when Heimdall is looking at Alfheim and they trip less and less these days. Farbauti is experiencing the same with her wards. We discussed it. Loki used the Casket on Heimdall when you were exiled. We believe the Casket affected Heimdall’s powers. It seems to have attempted to close Heimdall’s sedir channels. The change is slow, but it’s more and more noticeable now. This is also probably why Heimdall failed to see Malekith’s attack coming. As for Odin I think we can exploit the rumors of his weakness.”

Thor leaned forward. “How? What do you propose we do?”

Freyr paused. This was the moment of truth. If Thor took what he was going to say next well then he had truly shed all empathy for Odin. Otherwise….well they’ll see. “Odin has been avoiding the Odinsleep. Or rather he no longer has a powerful enough anchor and thus can’t perform it. But….we could use the whole situation to our advantage. Odin can hypothetically succumb to an ‘Odinsleep’. One that we manufacture. You could take over as interim ruler. The people would hardly protest and from what I have heard over the grapevine, the council won’t mind either.”

“You’re suggesting we slip something to Odin that causes him to fall in a coma or a deep sleep. And then we have Thor say it was because the events of the past months took their toll on him. Is that sustainable? Won’t the healers detect that someone deliberately drugged Odin to make it look like he fell into Odinsleep?”, Zaaroc was curious. Freyr wouldn’t have made the suggestion in the first place if he did not have a plan.

Freyr didn’t respond to Zaaroc. He looked at Thor. Waiting for him to react. Thor had gone still. But at least he was still here. That was a good sign right?

Thor thought about it. One part of his mind protested that what Freyr was suggesting was wrong. But the other part, the one that was hurt and angry said it was only fair. Odin had manipulated and tricked Thor his whole life. If Thor played a small trick in return then it was only fair. Thor would be able to shape the opinions of his people. They needed to be reminded of their past. Thor could do that if Odin was out of the way. He could also gather evidence against Odin. There must be some clues left behind from the time of Hela. Thor would have an opportunity to collect them. He could also use the time to rebuild Loki’s image among the people.

“It’s not going to kill him is it?” That was the only thing Thor wanted to know. He didn’t think Odin deserved to die before he answered for his crimes.

Freyr mentally sighed in relief. He shook his head. “No. It’s just to get him out of the way for a while. I do desire to see Odin die. But not before his truth is revealed for all to see. Not before he has been tried and punished for his crimes.”

Thor nodded. “Very well. I take it you have spies capable enough of accomplishing this?” Freyr opened his mouth to respond. But Thor shook his head. “No wait. I don’t want to know. I don’t care. As long as you promise Odin won’t awaken till the day I want him to. I only have one request, please wait till we have brought Loki back. I’m sure the minute Odin falls in a coma someone is going to come knocking looking for me. I assume you expect Loki to change his form so that he’s able to come with me? I will have to ask him about that. It’s his choice. I won’t force him.”

Freyr nodded in agreement, “I agree. We need Loki here before we do this. Of course you can ask Loki. I would have insisted that you do. This is one option. If Loki refuses, we will look for another. There is always another way.”

Thor nodded, “Okay. About the ritual to bring Loki back. We need Hela’s assistance for it. Loki gave me his memories. The one where Hela told him how she was bound. It seems to be some sort of dark magic. Odin charmed or created a black chain. The minute it touched Hela it was absorbed in her skin. From Loki’s memories I saw that it is like a tattoo. Hela has broken through several links but the ones blocking communication are probably still there. Do you think you can ask around about it? Maybe it’s more necromancy from Muspelheim. Odin seems to use it frequently”

Freyr thought about it. He would have to involve Svol. That would be tricky. Hela’s destruction of Muspelheim made them wary of her. Tricky but not impossible. Freyr could pull it off. “I can ask around. I think I can convince Svol to help.” If Thor was surprised by Freyr mentioning Svol, he didn’t show it. Freyr was well aware that his nephew was not as gullible as everyone thought he was. Thor was well versed in politics. He just didn’t take interest in it. It was good to see that change.

Freyr turned to Zaaroc. “What about retrieving Loki’s body? Has Lael responded yet?”

Zaaroc nodded, “Yes. He should have everything settled by tomorrow. I reached out to my friends in London. They can help us find a path to Svartalfheim or make one if needed. We can have Loki’s body in two days. We do need a secluded place for the actual ritual though. We can’t be sure how much time it will take. I don’t think Midgard has any places that we can use. I could ward Dr Foster’s house as much as I want but Heimdall and Odin are still aware where it is. If at all something goes wrong and they sense us, that is the first place they will look. It’s a bad idea to do it there.”

Freyr nodded, “Yes and there is the matter of the wound Loki died from. I was able to analyze the poison that Malekith and his soldiers used. My spies brought me samples from Asgard. I have an antidote. I suspect Loki died more from the poison in his wound than the wound itself. The minute he is back you will have to inject the antidote in him. As for the ritual, Dr Foster’s house is a bad idea, I agree there but leaving Midgard is not a good one either.”

“You should stay there. Ask your friends in London. They are well versed in sedir, yes? They can help you find a place. They can also provide additional protection. Farbauti and Jarnsaxa have been exploring the changed secret paths of Jotunheim. I assume Loki recommends we go to a Jotun mage for the spell to tie his soul back to his body?”

Thor nodded, “Yes. He said Jotun mages are trained to sense connections from an early age. They would be able to follow Hela’s instructions better.”

Freyr nodded in agreement, “Yes. Agreed. Jarnsaxa the current high priestess is the optimal choice. She is a very good healer too. Both of those skills are needed.” 

Thor bit his lip, “I can ask Queen Farbauti….but I’m not sure she will agree….”

Freyr waved a hand to dismiss Thor. “She will agree. It is her son we are bringing back. She will not only agree but she will want to be there as well. Don’t deny her that request.”

“I won’t.” Thor was very nervous about meeting Loki’s mother. He wasn’t even sure she would approve of Thor bonding to Loki. At the same time he wanted to get to know her.

There was one thing Thor was curious about. “Were you ever going to let me rule? If I turned out like Odin. What were you going to do?”

Freyr leaned forward, “You are my nephew Thor. My blood. But my duty is to my people. They put their faith in me. They have spent a thousand years under the thumb of a tyrant. I would not have let them suffer under another one. It would have pained me deeply. But I need to do what’s right for my people. And sometimes doing the right thing brings you no joy. That does not mean that I would not have done it.”

In other words, as much as Freyr loved Thor, he wouldn’t have hesitated to plot against him if he had indeed turned out like Odin. Thor had Loki to thank for him not becoming a bloodthirsty warmonger like Odin. 

Thor found he did not mind what Freyr was implying. In fact he was happy that there were people who were willing to do what’s right no matter what. That his uncle was willing to set aside his feelings for the good of his people. Thor could admire that. “Good. I would have expected nothing less. When I first found out Loki was the one who let the Jotun in the vault. I felt angry and betrayed. I felt Loki held no love for me. But now I realize that Loki did what he did because he loved me truly. He is a better brother to me than I have ever been to him.”

Freyr nodded, “Yes. Loki does love you and you love Loki too. Very much. Perhaps more than people realize.”

For the second time in the day Thor felt dread in his heart. Freyr couldn’t know could he? Thor looked at Zaaroc. But he was no help. Of course Thor always suspected that Zaaroc had known. 

“It’s alright Thor. Truly it is. I hope you remember I’m married to my sister, yes? I could always tell. You were both so close even as children. Do you remember how you refused to go to your lessons unless Loki could come too?” Freyr smiled wistfully, “Frigga told me how Loki always complained you were an idiot but if someone else mocked your intelligence they got a knife in their face.” 

Zaaroc snorted. “Oh yes I remember. He looked like a lost kitten and then someone insulted Thor and the claws came out. Loki did love his knives. Where did he even get them from?”

“Oh. He stole some from Frigga’s collection. Frigga had to spell them, so Loki couldn’t find them.” Freyr shook his head. “The point is we are not judging you Thor. To be honest I always felt you both should share the throne. You were always better at things when you worked together. It would have been an ideal match. Frigga thought so too.”

Thor was speechless. His mother had known. Was that why she always encouraged Thor to not mind Loki’s tantrums? She did the same for Loki too. Thor often overheard her telling Loki to be patient with Thor. She never protested Thor and Loki’s close bond even when so many others did. But Freyr was wrong about one thing. “It doesn’t matter how much I love Loki. Or in what way I love him. He sees me as a brother. I cannot betray that.” 

Thor tried to decipher the expression on Freyr’s face. But it was unreadable. “As you want Thor. Your relationship with Loki is your purview not mine. Just remember one thing, the soul bond cannot force emotions. It might bring up feelings that were either hidden or ignored but it cannot put emotions that did not exist already. Alright?”

Thor nodded, still confused about what Freyr was trying to say. But he let it go for now. 

Freyr clapped his hands. “Well! I think we are done here. Zaaroc once you retrieve Loki’s body, come to Alfheim and get the antidote from me. I’m not sure if the poison would still be active seeing as Loki’s body has been essentially a corpse for almost four months, but let’s not take any chances.” Freyr stood and turned towards the door that Thor was sure hadn’t been there before.

Zaaroc nodded, “Yes. Of course. What if my contacts in London refuse to help with the ritual? Their leader can be….unpredictable about these things.”  
  


Freyr looked over his shoulder, “Remind Aroa who it was that brought her to Agamotto when she was lost and looking for a purpose. We have always helped them. It is time for her to help us.”

Zaaroc nodded. “Very well. I shall see you next after we have retrieved Loki’s body”

Zaaroc turned to Thor. He could see Thor had questions. But they needed to leave now. Any questions could be asked after they were back in the real world. Zaaroc held out his hand. Thor contemplated but then took it and closed his eyes. Freyr opened the door and the dreamscape disintegrated. 

**Dr. Foster’s House Puente Antiguo, Midgard**

Thor gasped awake. His head hurt and he felt drained. Zaaroc was shaking his head too. The shift from the dreamscape to the real world could be jarring.

“Well that was fun.” Zaaroc stood up and then swayed. “Yeah….let’s eat something before we hop to the dreamscape again. Come on. It’s...uh….” Zaaroc turned to look at the clock. “Well it’s 8 o’clock now. Time for dinner.”

Thor got up slowly, being careful not to jostle his head so much. He followed Zaaroc to the kitchen, where Jane was sitting at the kitchen counter with her iPad and a half eaten burger on a plate beside her with a can of coke. She looked up when Zaaroc and Thor walked in. 

“Hey guys! That was fast. I was expecting you to be gone all night. Sorry I kept all the food in the fridge. Just heat it up. The microwave survived, the coffee machine is a lost cause though.”

Thor looked at Jane with sad eyes. Jane waved a hand at him. “No. Stop looking at me with the puppy dog eyes! How do you even pull that off? You’re like ten feet tall! It’s fine! I needed to change it anyway. Just stop looking at me like that.”

Zaaroc laughed, “You should have seen Loki’s. He looked like that one sad kitten that was left behind and spent the entire night in the rain. It was impossible to say no! I have gotten in so much trouble because of it.”

Jane was still surprised every time Zaaroc spoke about Loki so casually. She realized that Zaaroc and Loki had been best friends. Zaaroc randomly spoke about the things they used to do together. Jane thought it was because he missed Loki. It was strange to think of the Loki that Zaaroc described. He felt like a completely different person altogether. She was still getting used to it. Thor always looked sad whenever this happened. He clearly missed Loki too. 

Jane decided to change the topic. “So? How did your conversation with Freyr and Farbauti go?”

Zaaroc turned back from peering into the fridge. “Huh? Oh. We haven’t talked to Queen Farbauti yet. We did talk to uncle Freyr though. I think we need to eat something before we attempt to contact Queen Farbauti. All this hopping around in the dreamscape is exhausting.”

Jane nodded, “Yes. Definitely. I think Thor hasn’t eaten since morning. His eating habits are terrible. Look at him! He’s practically wilting!” Jane pointed one finger at Thor accusingly. “I ordered triple of everything on the menu. Except for the breakfast food and the drinks. Isabela says you both have single handedly doubled her business.”

Thor huffed and sat on the kitchen counter opposite Jane. “We don’t eat that much. And I ate plenty in the morning. I didn’t have time in the afternoon. What do you mean ‘wilting’? I’m not a plant!”

Jane raised one eyebrow unimpressed. Zaaroc put three burgers and two plates of fries in front of Thor. Choosing the meatloaf for himself. He sat beside Thor. “It is alarming. I remember you throwing feasts that lasted for days. Whatever happened to that? You just stopped altogether one day.”

Thor picked some fries and shoved them in his mouth. “Loki threatened to turn the mead into horse piss if he had to see ‘uncultured idiots stuff their face like pigs’ one more time. Loki never gives empty threats. I thought it wise not to test him. I had to make up for the feasts by bringing him all the books he wanted. Took me weeks.”

Jane bit her lip to keep the laughter in. She wondered if Thor realized he and Loki acted like an old married couple. Probably not considering all that had happened. 

“Oh yeah….I do recall Loki reading a book on how to transform liquids.” Zaaroc pat Thor’s back sympathetically. “It was a close call.”

Thor picked up one of the burgers, “So are you going to tell me? Who are these contacts in London? They are a group right? I had no idea Midgard had people who practice sedir”

Jane leaned in, now interested, “Really? I mean I have heard of people who practiced ‘witchcraft’. But I didn't think there were actually people here that had the talent.”

Zaaroc put his fork down and sighed, “I’ll tell you but you have to promise not to tell anyone else. The group or rather the order does not want to be in the limelight. They don’t want any trouble, especially from this SHIELD organization.”

Thor and Jane nodded together. Thor turned to Zaaroc, “Of course. I am just curious. I agree with what Jane says. I was not aware there were people on Midgard who were actually trained in sedir.”

Zaaroc shook his head, “Of course there are people. There are always people somewhere who can do things you don’t expect. When I was a child I used to live in a small village in the mountains, here on Midgard. The chief of the village was Agamotto. He was a mage. I’m not sure how he came to be a mage. But he practiced the mystic arts. He was actually the one who taught me about sedir in the beginning. He trained other people in his village too. Agamotto aged slower than the other humans. He used magic from other dimensions to live longer.”

“He even had an artifact that could control time. I think it is an infinity stone. The time stone perhaps. It was his magic that drew mother to Midgard. Agamotto was attempting to create mystical shields around Midgard. It caught mother’s attention. When Agamotto saw her condition, he gave her shelter. He hid me among his people despite the risk. He was a good man. I wasn’t here when he died. I didn’t find out till much later.”

Thor could see that Agamotto’s death grieved Zaaroc. Thor would have liked to meet this man. He had helped his mother when she was in grave trouble.

“Aroa is actually Celtic. She used to practice what the humans call ‘witchcraft’. There came a time where the humans started shunning the magic users. Even killing them. Aroa’s family was lost in one such incident. She was chased by these zealots. I was looking for the magic users, bringing them to Agamotto so that he could hide them until things calmed down again. I found her and brought her to him. She became Agamotto’s protege. After his death she took over the order and continued his legacy. Agamotto taught her to extend her life as well. I think she is the oldest human alive. Her people call her the Ancient One.”

Zaaroc shook his head, “She’s not ancient. At least not compared to you or me. But for the humans she is very old. Freyr and I help them every now and then. Agamotto did succeed in building a mystical shield around Midgard. The key was to build sanctuaries in places where the ley lines gathered together and formed knots. He built three such sanctuaries in different places on Midgard. Now they are major cities. One is London of course. Another is actually in New York. The third one is in the city of Hong Kong. Agamotto’s village is now a country. His house is still there. It’s now used as a haven for all those who are lost and looking for purpose. Aroa trains them.”

Thor frowned. “If there is a sanctuary in New York, why did they not help during the invasion? We could have used all the help we could get.”

Zaaroc shrugged. “Like I said Aroa does not want the order to come in limelight. Plus the sanctuary or sanctum as Aroa likes to call it has many magical artifacts. I assume she spent all her energy ensuring the Chitauri did not get to them. She would have helped you just didn’t notice her doing it.”

“So, we have a group of magic users here? On earth? That is so cool. I think they went into hiding around the time people became wary of witchcraft and just never came out in the open again. I don’t blame them. Can you imagine what SHIELD would do if they found out? It’s best to stick to the shadows” Jane picked her burger and took a bite.

Zaaroc nodded, “Yes exactly. Not to mention the various governments would try to exploit them too. That’s why they operate in secret. But they’ll help us I’m sure. Aroa has the good sense to know who her allies are.”

Jane sipped her coke. “So what did you discuss with Freyr? You’re going to go to London when? You said you called Lael and told him about the change of plans. Can I come too? If you don’t mind that is..”

Thor rushed to assure Jane, “Of course you can come Jane!”

Zaaroc nodded too, “Yeah. We assumed you would want to. Actually we need you to come with us. I asked Lael to consider all three of us. We could have asked Aroa’s people to fetch us. They can build portals. But that would be too suspicious. I’m sure SHIELD is keeping an eye out for us. Lael will make the arrangements and we can say you are going to visit some of your contacts in London and Thor and I just decided to tag along. Lael has also set up a house for us there. I will create another illusion to give the impression we are there and not trapezing around looking for secret paths.”

Jane nodded, “So Lael is going to hire a private jet right? I think Thor and you will stand out too much on a commercial flight”

“Yes. Under a name from the research department from the University of London. It’s a little out there but still better than just appearing in London out of nowhere. There are only so many illusion spells I can cast. I have to maintain them, which can become too much. I need to concentrate on our wards. I can’t do that if I’m thinking about a dozen different illusions at the same time.” Zaaroc went back to eating.

Thor picked up the third burger, “Yes. Avoiding Odin is more important than avoiding SHIELD. We can take on SHIELD. Odin not so much. Not while he has the entire army of Asgard behind him. Where are we taking the plane from? This town does not have the airports Stark mentioned ‘lesser’ planes need”

“Albuquerque”, Zaaroc shoved more food in his mouth. He was more hungry than he realized. “It’s the closest city with an international airport. Lael has the visa and passport issues sorted. I should receive a priority courier tomorrow morning. We should probably be there by evening tomorrow. We’ll finish our talk with Queen Farbauti and pack. I hope it’s not too short notice.”

Jane shook her head, “No. I’ll pack essentials. I don’t think we need much more than that. Let’s take a bus there though. We have one that leaves from here everyday at 12 noon. I’ll buy the tickets in the morning. I locked everything at the lab already. I’ll tell Isabela about the food in the fridge when I give her the house keys tomorrow. I paid the rent for the next month in advance. We’re not going to be gone for longer are we?”

“No. Not at all. It should not take more than a week at most. Thor and Loki will be out of commission so to speak for at least a day after the ritual. But it should not be longer than a week. At least if nothing goes wrong.” Anxiety was beginning to gnaw at Zaaroc now. There was so much to do and so little time to do it.

Thor picked at the fries, “There is something you should know, Jane. After Loki is here...we….I mean Freyr came up with a plan to get Odin out of the way for a while. We will probably go back to Asgard for at least a year. Till the bond has settled. We can’t hide from Odin for a year. We need a better solution.”

Jane put her iPad on the counter, “What do you mean get Odin out of the way for a while? How? And don’t you think you should stay away from Asgard? Isn’t that risky?”

Zaaroc pushed his plate away, “No. The best place to hide is in plain sight. We will put Odin in a coma and claim it’s Odinsleep. Thor can take over as interim ruler. It will help us keep an eye on things. Right now Thor is completely cut off from the politics and the people. If we want Odin to be brought to justice, that’s going to have to change. We need the people on our side. With Odin in a coma Thor will have more freedom to interact with the people. Slowly introduce the idea of uniting with Jotunheim. It’s good for Loki too. He needs to build his image back. In the beginning he can change his form and then when enough people are favorably disposed towards him we can reveal that he was there all along. It’s a plan. It’s not final.”

Thor nodded, “Yes. It depends on if Loki is willing to change his form for such a long time. But Zaaroc is right. I do need to build my own connections in Asgard. The common people like me but I’m completely out of touch with the nobles and the warrior class. That’s not a good thing. We need to change that sooner rather than later. It’s like killing two birds with one stone. Loki and I will be most comfortable in Asgard as we are familiar with it. And I can use the time to collect evidence against Odin and shape the political landscape to favor me.”

Jane frowned. It did make sense. It was a risky move. But really Jane didn’t think anything involving bringing Odin down was ever going to be safe or sane. She just...she was liking this. Having Zaaroc and Thor here. She liked their dynamic. It had been a long time since Jane made friends who didn’t feel insecure or jealous by her success. That was what happened with Donald, among other things. If they left now who knew how long it would be before Jane saw them again. Jane did not want to spend another two years wondering if her friends were ever coming back.

Zaaroc sighed, “Don’t worry Jane. We’ll come back. We won’t be gone forever. Just for a little while. We need to do this. For the good of everyone in the nine realms, Odin needs to be dealt with.”

Thor nodded, “Yes. We will come back. You won’t even realize how time will fly and we’ll be here again, eating you out of a house and hearth.”

Jane scoffed but it sounded more like a sob to her. But Zaaroc was right. Dealing with Odin was more important. Jane nodded, “I’ll hold you to that you know. But you better find a way for me to be able to talk to you or send letters or whatever. If you disappear without a trace again, I swear I’ll build my own Bifrost just to come up there and slap you.”

Thor chuckled. He got up and hugged Jane from one side while Zaaroc hugged her from the other. “We promise not to disappear. We’ll find a way for you to talk to us. I’m sure Zaaroc’s friends can help”

Zaaroc nodded, “Yes they can. They can even help you come to us whenever you want. Please don’t build another Bifrost. One is enough of a headache.”

Jane hugged them both back. “No promises. I am a scientist, we live to build stuff that causes headaches.”

Zaaroc sighed dramatically, “Oh no. I guess we’ll just have to hurry now.” He pulled back and caught Thor’s eye. It was time to talk to Queen Farbauti.

Thor pulled back too. “We are going to talk to Queen Farbauti now. I don’t know how long it will take. We will probably see you directly in the morning.”

Jane nodded, “Sure. Just put the dishes in the dishwasher and remember to keep the living room lights off. Mandy will get suspicious if they are on the whole night. It’s a small town. Everybody is way too nosy for their own good.”

Thor nodded. Zaaroc put their plates in the dishwasher and headed for the living room. Jane picked up her iPad and decided to get a headstart on packing. Thor followed Zaaroc. He was sitting on the floor again.

“Ok. Let’s do this.” Zaaroc held out his hands like before. The nerves were back but Thor ignored them and held Zaaroc’s hands, closing his eyes.

**Queen Farbauti’s Dreamscape**

Thor opened his eyes and found himself in a big circular room made of ice. The walls were so high Thor had to tilt his head back entirely to see the ceiling. Thor was sitting at a table made of ice so clear it looked like crystal. There were swirling patterns on the table. Thor leaned down to study them. Fascinated by the designs.

Someone cleared their throat. Thor looked up to see a tall blue skinned woman had entered the room. She was a good head taller than Thor. She had long white hair and red eyes. She wore a fur lined sleeveless tunic and trousers that were also lined with fur. She had markings around her eyes, on her forehead and on her arms going up to the back of her hands. Her hands had long fingers that ended in sharp black nails. She entered the room closing the door behind her. It disappeared completely as if it had never been there. The woman looked at Thor one eyebrow raised.

Thor knew he was staring. But he couldn’t help it. The look the woman...Queen Farbauti was giving him was so like Loki’s that Thor could only stare dumbfounded. He knew intellectually that Loki was not his biological brother but the idea that he had another mother and another father hadn’t really sunk in till now. 

Thankfully Zaaroc kept his wits about him. “Thank you for agreeing to see us, Your Grace. We have some very important news to share.”

Queen Farbauti turned her gaze to Zaaroc and smiled slightly, “Please call me Farbauti. I think we can leave the titles for the court.”

She sat at the table on a chair before Thor, “So what did you have to tell me?” Farbauti looked at the boy in front of her who was still looking at her with wide eyes. This boy had killed many of their soldiers mindlessly over one insult. But Freyr and Zaaroc both insisted that he had changed his ways. The only reason that Farbauti agreed to meet him was because her precious child had loved this boy enough to go through the trouble of correcting his behavior. If Loki thought Thor was worth saving then Farbauti could sit down for one conversation with him.

“Uh….yeah...Thor?”, Zaaroc kicked Thor under the table. Thor jolted and fought to control his expression. Farbauti tried to hold back her amusement.

“Your expressions are so like his.” Thor blurted.

Farbauti’s expression changed from almost laughing to sad in seconds. Thor mentally kicked himself. Of all the ways to start this conversation, Thor had to choose the one that brought up Farbauti’s dead child. No wonder Loki used to kick him out of diplomatic discussions. He was fucking this up already.

Farbauti traced the lines on the back of her hand. “Really? Are you sure it’s not the other way around?”

Thor blinked. Of course. How stupid of him! Thor sighed. He wanted to do this right, “You are right. I’m sorry. It’s….I know Loki was your son. But I have spent my entire life thinking he was my brother. It’s hard to think he has parents of his own”

Farbauti wanted to retort that it was hard for her to think her son had been alive all along, but she paused. The boy in front of her was a far cry from the spoiled child that had attacked Laufey. He was here. He was trying. It was not his fault Odin had filled his head with lies. Farbauti could be understanding.

Thor sat straighter. He wasn’t sure how to say this. He put his hand on the table. The one with Loki’s ring. Farbauti’s eyes were immediately drawn to it.

Thor held his hand out. “I found this in Loki’s room after his death. He made it for me a long time ago. I think he wanted to give it to me on my coronation but he never got the chance.”

Farbauti leaned forward to study the ring. It was well made. She could sense the sedir in it. This was no ordinary ring. It was a powerful relic. Farbauti could also sense something else in the ring. Something more than sedir.

Thor pulled his hand back. “It’s imbued with Loki’s sedir. But recently we found out that…..well…..it seems that….Lokiaccidentallychippedoffapieceofhissoulandimbueditintheringalongwithhissedir.NowIhaveamentallinktohim.Ithinkwecanuseittocreateasoulbondandbringhimback” Thor spoke all that in one breath without pausing.

Farbauti looked at him confused. Zaaroc facepalmed. Thor realized he had spoken too fast for Farbauti to understand, “Sorry. I mean to say Loki accidentally chipped off a piece of his soul and imbued it in the ring along with his sedir. Now I have a mental link to him. I think we can use it to create a soul bond and bring him back”

It took a minute for the words to make sense, then Farbauti stood up angry, “Get out! How dare you come here and...Just get out!”

Thor got up too. “I’m not lying! I swear on my mother’s grave! You can see my memories! See for yourself!” Thor held out his hand again. He spoke softly, “I didn’t ask for it. I didn’t even know it was possible. I thought he was gone forever. I never imagined...”

Thor stepped around the table, “I know you have no reason to believe me. I know the last time I was in Jotunheim I brought death and destruction. But I swear I’m not lying about this. I want Loki back as much as you. I know everything Odin did. I know how much pain he caused you. I can’t change the past. But we have a chance to change the future. We can do it together and Loki can be here with us while we do it. Please….please just listen to me once”

Zaaroc stepped up to them, “Thor speaks the truth Your Grace. I spoke to Loki myself. He is in Helheim with Hela and King Laufey. There is a bond between Thor and Loki. Go on, reach out through your senses. See it for yourself. We know your pain. We are not here to scrape old wounds but to help heal them.”

Farbauti looked at Thor warily. He was still holding out his hand. An invitation to see his memories. Farbauti took his hand. She felt the ring flare in warning but she had Thor’s permission. She saw a golden field. A young man with black hair and green eyes stood in the middle of it complaining that it had taken Thor too long to figure this out. The memory skipped and the man now had blue skin and red eyes. What caught Farbauti’s eye were the lines on his face. They were just like the lines on her child’s face. Farbauti still remembered when she had first held her child. She had traced those very lines.

Farbauti pulled out of the memories and let go of Thor’s hand. He stumbled a little from the sudden movement. Zaaroc caught him. Farbauti tried to hold back her tears. Her little boy! He was so grown up now. Farbauti wiped her eyes. Pushing her emotions aside. There would be time to weep later.

Thor chose to ignore Farbauti crying. There was nothing Thor could say that would go over well. He pulled Zaaroc with him and they sat back down at the table. Farbauti sat back down too, trying her best to compose herself. Thor said he wanted to pursue a soul bond. He was correct in assuming it could bring Loki back, but it could also kill Thor instead. There was also another thing to consider.

“You do know that a soul bond is permanent. You will not be able to go back on it.” Farbauti had to assess how serious Thor was about this. She would not stand for him hurting her child.

Thor nodded. “Yes. I know. I know it is permanent. I have discussed this with Loki. He has agreed to it as well. We can do this but we need your help. Loki gave me some of his memories. Hela is bound by Odin and cannot leave Helheim. She also cannot communicate with anyone outside Helheim. They are working on it. Loki said Hela needs a gifted mage. She can see souls and their connection to their bodies. We need her to guide us as we tie Loki’s soul back to his body. Loki says that she cannot leave Helheim but if they are able to open up her communication channels she will need someone she can guide.”

Farbauti tried to quell the hope in her heart. “Yes. Our high priestess Jarnsaxa can help. She is the most gifted sedir user we have currently. I thought Aesir burned the bodies of their dead. How come Loki’s body is still intact?”

Thor swallowed, “Odin refused to give him a proper funeral.” Farbauti’s nails scratched the surface of the table and her eyes glowed with anger. Thor ignored it. “I buried him like the humans do on Svartalfheim, the place where he died.”

Farbauti blinked in surprise. Thor had unknowingly given her son the same burial he would have gotten on Jotunheim. She looked him up and down again. He looked tired, worn out. Like there was a heavy weight on his shoulders. Thor had to live with Odin’s deeds for the rest of his life. Farbauti pitied the child in front of her. He had a difficult path ahead of him. It wasn’t going to be easy to come out from the shadow Odin had cast on them all.

Farbauti had a choice to make. She wanted to protest that Loki not bind himself to Thor. But at the same time without it she couldn’t have Loki back. If they did this, Jotunheim and Asgard would once again be bound like they had before. What if there was another Odin down the line? After Thor and Loki were gone? Was having her child back worth the price of the many souls who would suffer if history repeated itself? Farbauti had to think about her people, about their future. Thor was looking at her with resignation now. Like he knew her answer.

Farbauti wanted to hear his opinion on this, “Even if you bring Loki back, can you guarantee Asgard will accept him? What if they kill him again? What then? What do you think they will say when they learn Loki is Jotun?"

Thor protested, “No. I won’t let them. They will change their minds. About him. About the Jotun. I will make sure of it. We can repair our relations. We can build a better future for our children. We have to try. You can’t possibly want Odin to get away with this. With everything he did. We can bring him to justice. This is our chance...”

Their children. Her child’s future had already been cut short once. But Thor was right they had to try. Farbauti did have a deep desire to watch Odin burn. “What do you need?”

Thor smiled at her. Looking too much like Frigga did. Farbauti forgot he wasn’t just Odin’s son, he was Frigga’s too. “We need a talented mage like I said. We also need healers. Loki died from a wound that went through his heart. The sword was also poisoned. Uncle Freyr has worked out an antidote. So that’s covered. But Loki still needs to heal from the wound itself. The magic Odin has bound Hela with is a black chain that was absorbed in her skin. It’s like a tattoo now. She has broken through many of the links but she doesn’t know exactly what magic it is. If you can find anything on it, it would be a great help.”

“Zaaroc and I will be retrieving Loki’s body and will have it with us in two days. If we show you the place where we will be performing the ritual would you be able to come there? We think Midgard is the best place to do this. I was there when we discovered the link and if I go to some other realm now, Odin will become suspicious. Freyr also has a way of manufacturing the Odinsleep. Once Loki is here, he will use his spies and put Odin in a deep coma. I will take over the throne and we can use this time to make sure the bond has time to settle without having to worry about Odin. Loki is a talented shapeshifter. He can change his form so he would be able to come with me. I can also gather evidence against Odin and try to change the attitude of the Aesir towards things.”

Farbauti raised both eyebrows in surprise. So Thor had already made all the plans. “What were you going to do if I had disagreed to help you?” Farbauti was curious.

Thor squared his shoulders, “I would have found someone else to help me. I would have learned sedir myself if I had to. But I would not have backed out. I have a way of bringing Loki back. I’m not going to rest till he is here”

Well then. If Thor was determined to do this, who was Farbauti to protest? “Very well. Jarnsaxa and I have found several of the secret paths there is one that leads to Midgard among them. When you are ready contact me again. If I find something about this chain Odin has bound Hela with in the meantime, I’ll contact you.”

Farbauti got up and headed for the door which had made a reappearance. Beside him Zaaroc let out a breath of relief. Before leaving, Farbauti turned back to look at Thor one last time, “Oh and one more thing Prince Thor. Loki is an adult and I cannot make his choices for him. If he has chosen to bind himself to you I will support him. But if I find you ever hurt my child or break his heart, I will rip your throat out with my bare hands.” Farbauti smirked highlighting her sharp canines.

Thor swallowed and nodded. Farbauti nodded back. “Good. We are done here then. I hope the next time I see you we will be bringing Loki back”

Farbauti turned and left through the door. The dreamscape disintegrated and Thor held Zaaroc’s hand, closing his eyes.

**Dr. Foster’s House, Puente Antiguo, Midgard.**

Thor woke with a gasp for the third time in the day. He still felt exhausted. That had gone better than he had expected. He had been so worried Farbauti was not going to help them.

Zaaroc groaned and laid down on the floor, “That was absolutely exhausting. Did we eat? I feel like my stomach is a black hole.”

Thor ignored Zaaroc’s whining and laid down too. He was feeling sleepy. It had been an emotionally draining day. He recalled how Queen Farbauti had cried when she saw Loki in Thor’s memories. Thor couldn’t imagine her pain. She had never had a chance to see her son grow. Loki was an adult now. That was not going to change. Farbauti had missed his entire childhood. 

Thor wondered what it would have been like. If Loki had grown on Jotunheim. If Odin had not been evil. Thor probably would not have existed in that world. Would that be better or worse? Would that Loki have felt an absence where Thor was supposed to be? Would he even be Loki? So many what ifs. It was best not to dwell on them.

Zaaroc snored from beside him. Thor rolled his eyes. He would have moved him if he had the energy to do it.. They needed to pack their things. A yawn interrupted Thor’s thoughts. He was so tired. Thor rolled on his side facing away from Zaaroc and closed his eyes. Just for a little while. Thor would nap for an hour and then pack. It wouldn’t hurt to rest a little.

TBC….

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually looked up the MCU timeline and the gap between Thor:TDW(2013) and Avengers:AOU(2015) is two full years. More than enough time for Thor and Loki to get settled in their bond.  
> For the Ancient One I used my canon divergence freedom fully.  
> The name Aroa means 'time'. I thought it was fitting.  
> Till next time...


	24. Odin’s Palace (part 4)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Delusions and assumptions and spies......

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was so excited to get things moving in my own fic that I wrote almost non-stop for three days

** Odin’s personal chambers **

Odin wiped his mouth with his handkerchief. He was coughing up blood again. It has been happening more and more these days. Ever since that Jotun bastard had used the Casket to secure the Bifrost Odin had been unable to restore his sedir. The Casket was gone. Lost to the void forever. Now here Odin was coughing up blood whenever he tried to absorb sedir from the ley lines. He needed an anchor. But there was no relic left that could serve as one anymore. Odin sat down wearily on his bed. He rubbed his eyes. He could feel all his years catching up to him now. He felt exhausted.

To make things worse, the council was itching to put Thor on the throne. Odin knew how this game was played. He was well aware that he couldn’t hold on to the throne forever. He wouldn’t have minded it. Not before. He had moulded Thor into the perfect ruler. One that would carry on his legacy. But he could tell Thor was straying from the path now.

It all came back to Laufey’s runt. Thor was still upset over his death. Why Odin could not say. So what if Loki was dead? He had tried to kill Thor and attacked Midgard. That backward hunk of rock that Thor had suddenly developed love for. Why Thor continued to be upset over Loki’s death escaped Odin. By all means the boy should be over it by now. Odin had even put the suggestion of a hunt in Sif’s mind to distract Thor. But to his surprise Thor had refused.

Still the suggestion of retrieving Loki’s scepter was a good one. Odin was not blind despite having only one eye, he knew there was someone else pulling Loki’s strings during the invasion. He suspected that the scepter belonged to this being rather than Loki. It would be good to add another jewel to his collection. Thor had said it could control minds. How delightful! Odin could study it and develop a spell to control the minds of those fools in the council. It would shave years off Odin’s face.

He had Heimdall keep an eye on Thor. To his dismay the boy had chosen to go to his previous lover despite saying they had parted. But Heimdall said they seldom talked. The mortal woman was always working and had no time for Thor. Good. Odin had been worried Thor was going to become infatuated with her again.

One thing that had surprised him was that Thor had contacted his cousin Zaaroc. Heimdall said Thor sent a letter to Alfheim and in response Zaaroc showed up on Midgard. Heimdall had heard their conversation. Apparently Thor was having trouble locating the scepter. He had called on his cousin as he was a very good tracker. Alas without an idea of what the energy of the scepter was like Zaaroc was no help and had returned. Odin had Heimdall keep an eye on Zaaroc after he went back. But all he had done was help traders settle for the trade season and maintain the books for Alfheim’s storehouses. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Odin had told Heimdall to leave him be. It would have been good to have his help but Odin did not want Thor getting too close to Frigga’s family. It was sad really. He wished he could trust Freyr but it was not to be. Freyr had always hated Odin. He was the one who had filled Frigga’s head with that nonsense that she loved Vuco. But the Norns had sided with Odin and Frigga had lost the bastard child conceived of that union. 

Frigga had come to her senses and come to Odin then. He had watched her and Freyr carefully for the first century of their marriage but after that Odin had relaxed. Frigga loved Odin. Of that he was sure. She always sided with him. He regretted bringing Loki with him. He should have killed the runt when he found him. His poor Frigga had a soft heart and that bastard had wormed his way in. It was the only thing they argued on.

Frigga’s death grieved Odin. She had thrown her life protecting that blasted mortal! Granted at the time the woman had somehow absorbed the Aether. It was worrying. A mortal should not have been able to handle the Aether’s power for as long as Jane Foster had. Odin supposed it had something to do with the Aether’s sentience. It had gone to Jane after all. There was no way the mortal managed to control the Aether and absorb it. No. Rather the Aether itself had chosen Jane as its host. Alas the Aether was with the Collector now. Odin would have liked to keep it but the council was right having two infinity stones in the same place was asking for trouble. And between the Tesseract and the Aether, it was easier to control and use the Tesseract. In the past Odin had tried to keep the Tesseract in his vault but it always teleported itself back to Midgard so Odin left it be. Now however it was silent and content to be here. Odin didn’t quite understand what had changed but he was happy to keep it with him.

Odin got up with effort and decided to go ask Heimdall what Thor was up to now. It had been nearly two months, he should have found the scepter by now. Unless the being it belonged to had managed to retrieve it first. That was a concern. It meant there were other beings watching Midgard. Perhaps even planning another attack. They had been fortunate last time. Odin knew Loki had lost on purpose. As much as he hated to admit it, Loki had always been a better strategist than Thor. He was silent and deadly. Like slow poison. A bad combination for his opponents. If Loki had truly wanted to rule Midgard he would have wormed his way in their governments until all of them ended up serving him one way or the other. The invasion was more something Thor was likely to do. It had been badly planned too. Loki had sabotaged himself.

Whoever came next would not give them the same consideration. Odin had to keep a close eye on Midgard. It was the natural gateway to the other realms. The place was teeming with secret paths that led to the other realms. It would be very bad if the being behind Loki’s invasion managed to gain foothold over it. Perhaps it’s a good thing Thor is so fond of it. Odin could send a regiment with Thor under the pretense of giving protection and gain control over Midgard first. Before the unknown being returned with a bigger army. Yes, that was a good plan. Midgard has been left alone for too long and Odin longed to add more territory under his rule.

Odin walked through the corridors, over to the stables. The palace was eerily quiet. The servants worked silently. The guards stood at their posts. Since Frigga’s death her students had found other tutors to teach them sedir. There were no nobles from any of the other realms. The council met only once a week. The damage left behind by the dark elves had been repaired. In Thor’s absence his friends had scattered. They had no reason to loiter about the palace. Odin would have felt lonely but he was too busy trying to figure out how to restore his sedir.

Odin pat Sleipnir on the head. He was the only friend left now. Odin’s brothers were useless. They could not help in any matters involving sedir. All they did was make pointless policies with the rest of the nobles in the council. Really they were there just for name’s sake. Odin hadn’t given them any real power to exercise. They didn’t deserve it. Odin knew Vili was still fond of the elves. All that time he had spent there had gotten to him. And Ve was no better. He had taken a liking to the fire demons of all beings. Odin scoffed. They were weaklings. If it hadn’t been for Odin their bloodline would have no legacy at all. Odin was the one who had built up Asgard from a realm of simple folk to the great empire it was today. Look at all the wealth they had! It was all because of Odin’s efforts. 

Odin sighed. Truly sometimes he wished he hadn’t had any siblings at all. That would have been better. Odin saddled Selpeinir. He got on his horse and trotted towards the Bifrost. On the way the people bowed to him. Odin smiled. At least the common people had good sense. They knew Odin was behind their prosperity. Odin noticed that there were less traders from Alfheim and Vanaheim than expected. But that was to be expected. Frigga had been of Vanaheim. The people mourned longer than the Aesir. The elves would do the same out of respect for Freyr. The traders would be back for the winter harvest.

Odin tied Selpeinir to one of the posts by the Bifrost mechanism. Heimdall was as usual standing at his post. He bowed as Odin approached. “Good afternoon Your Grace. What brings you to the Bifrost?”

Odin rolled his eyes. Heimdall knew why he came here but he insisted on asking every time. “Don’t pretend Heimdall. It doesn't suit you. You know why I’m here. Tell me what has Thor been up to?”

Heimdall frowned. “Today he appears to be collecting his things. It seems he and Jane Foster are going somewhere. I believe Thor has found someone who can help him locate Loki’s scepter”

At last some good news! Odin smiled in satisfaction. “That is good news Heimdall! You keep watch over him. Thor said the scepter can control minds. Make sure that Thor is not at risk. If you feel he is under threat send the Warriors Three and Lady Sif to him immediately. Understood?”

Heimdall nodded, “As you command Your Grace. If there is a threat I shall send assistance to Thor immediately”

Odin nodded, “Good. Now tell me what about Jotunheim? Has there been any change there? Last time you reported that snow storms had ragged for days blocking most of your view of the city. Has there been any change?”

Heimdall shook his head, “No. Alas Your Grace, I think Jotunheim is a lost cause. The storms stopped but everything is buried under snow and ice. I see the ruin of the old temple has completely sunk into the surface. I don’t think any of the Jotuns even survived Loki’s attack. I haven’t seen a soul on the surface.”

Well Odin’s mood improved. First Thor made progress on his search and now Heimdall reported that those cretins on Jotunheim might be gone for good. But he shouldn’t celebrate so soon. The Jotun were stubborn bastards. Odin composed himself. He was supposed to be a just ruler who cared for all beings in the nine realms. He put on a concerned expression, “Oh! That is unfortunate. But you keep your eyes on them. The Jotun can control ice. It is possible they had simply taken shelter and are a little stuck because the storms piled up ice on top of them. They might dig their way up sooner or later.” It could actually be true. Odin hoped not though. 

“Very well Your Grace. If I see any Jotun come up to the surface I shall report it.”, Heimdall turned his gaze back to the realms.

Odin turned to leave. He saw Sif tying her horse beside Sleipnir. When she noticed Odin she bowed to him. Odin smiled. He was in a good mood, “Lady Sif! It has been a while since I have seen you. What brings you to the Bifrost? Are you going for another hunt?”

Sif shook her head, “No Your Grace. I just…..I came to ask Heimdall about Thor. He has been gone for a long time….” Sif trailed off a little embarrassed.

The poor girl. It was so obvious that she was in love with Thor. Odin had tried to push Thor towards her but he suspected Thor did not feel anything for her. Then of course he had become infatuated with that mortal. Sif was not a bad match for Thor. Not the most ideal match but not a bad one either. Odin would of course like for Thor to marry a Vanir but he doubted Freya would let that happen. She had been chasing off potential brides. Odin would have to do something about that one of these days. 

Still Sif was a good alternative. Thor had been drifting away from her. Odin would have to do something so Sif didn’t get the impression Thor had lost interest in her. “Ah. Yes. I am afraid that is my fault Lady Sif. I sent him to Midgard. I need him to run an errand for me there. It is taking longer than expected. But Heimdall says Thor should be done soon! You can perhaps take him to the winter festival in Alfheim later this year. Just the two of you. It would be a good way to bond, yes?”

The elves had to be done mourning by then right? Thor loved the air dancers. He always went there to see them with Loki. Sif blushed and then tried to look like she hadn’t. Odin fought to not roll his eyes at her. “Yes...yes of course Your Grace. Will Thor be back by the end of the month? Does he need help with this...errand?”

Odin was getting tired of this conversation now. Sif tried too hard sometimes. “No.” Odin said a little coldly. He didn’t need all of Asgard to know about the scepter. If he told Sif the news would reach every nook and cranny by nightfall. 

Sif shrunk back at his tone. “Of course Your Grace. I only meant if he needs any assistance I can go to him...with the Warriors Three of course.”

Odin nodded at her like he hadn’t realized she wanted to go alone. “I have already told Heimdall to keep an eye on him. If there is any trouble he shall inform you immediately and you can go to Thor then”

Sif nodded. Odin decided this had gone on for long enough. He walked past Sif and got back on Sleipnir. “Well then Lady Sif. Heimdall. I shall see you both later.” Heimdall bowed and Sif hurried to bow too. Odin trotted back to the palace. He took Selpinir to his stall and removed the saddle. He had servants for it. But he liked to do it on his own.

Well that hadn’t taken long. What to do now? Odin coughed again. His hand was again covered in blood. Odin wiped his hand in his tunic hurriedly. Looking around to make sure no one had seen him. He should go back to his chambers and look through his books. There must be some spell that could help Odin. He just had to find it. Decision made Odin made his way back.

** Odin’s stables **

Holger hid behind the door of one of the stalls as Odin walked out of the stables. He had been performing his duties, brushing one of the horses when Odin had come in with Selphnir. Holger was short and liked to keep the stall doors closed as he did his work so Odin hadn’t noticed him. 

Holger was half elf. He used glamour to hide the more elven features. He didn’t like Asgard or the Aesir. His father was one of the many warriors here. His mother had been an elf. King Freyr had taken Holger under his wing after his mother died in childbirth and his father abandoned him. He had him trained. Like the other elves Holger knew the truth about Odin. He was a skilled warrior. But the need right now was to know what the Aesir and Odin were up to. Holger had heard chatter that something big was about to happen. With Queen Frigga’s death the one major tie King Freyr and Queen Freya had to Asgard was gone. The time to make a move was now. 

So, Holger had transformed his features and got a job at the palace. He was not alone here. Another servant Ingrid was also a spy. She was Vanir. They reported regularly to Freyr and Freya respectively. The chief healer Eir was also one of them. Holger wasn’t sure what her ancestry was but she was probably the oldest spy here. She had told Holger that Odin was growing weak. But this seemed more serious than just fatigue or old age. Was it possible that Odin was dying of some fatal disease? Holger needed to report this to Freyr immediately.

Holger quietly made his way out of the stables and to his quarters in the east side of the palace where all servants lived. He closed the door behind him and checked to see if all the wards and spells were intact. If Heimdall caught him there would be severe punishment. Holger took a paper and quill and scratched hurriedly on it. 

_ ‘Dear mother, _

_ Father’s health is getting worse. He is coughing blood now. I am worried for him. Please come back home soon. _

_ Holger’ _

Holger folded the paper and did the spell Freyr had taught him. The paper went through a small portal. The wards in Holgers room made sure no one saw him. But he idled around his room for a little while to make it seem like he had come to get something. 

After some time Holger went back to the stables and resumed his duties. Hopefully he won’t have to do this for much longer. He could tell the tide was turning. Odin’s reign was at its end. It won’t be long now.

** Vili’s house, west of Odin’s palace, Asgard **

Vili sat in his study going over the various trade agreements. Most of these simply had to be renewed. Some traders had decided to discontinue trade with Asgard. Vili couldn’t blame them. The last few decades the behavior of the Aesir towards the other races had gone from bad to worse. Especially the warrior class. They grated on Vili’s nerves. Vili couldn’t imagine how Freyr and Freya put up with them. The summer trade had been slow despite the harvest being bountiful. It was all a result of Frigga’s death. Freyr and Freya were pulling back their people from Asgard. 

Loki had been lost too. Vili still couldn’t believe he had been Laufey’s son. How could Odin do something like that? If their mother and father were here they would be so heartbroken to see all the things Odin had done. Vili pulled out a small portrait from a hidden compartment in his desk. It was the only picture of their mother left on Asgard. Odin had burned the rest and had the murals turned to dust.

Cursed was the day his elder brother had been born. How Vili wished he had sedir of his own! If he had the gifts Odin did he would march to the palace right now and reveal the truth for all to see. But it was no use pondering these things. Vili did not have any gifts of sedir. He could do nothing but watch as Odin killed his first wife and forcefully married the second. He had to bow and serve Odin as he banished his niece and removed all trace of her from Asgard. Sometimes Vili wondered if the Norns even existed. If they did then why was Odin still alive? Why was Hela still in Helheim? He wanted to scream the truth at the top of his voice. Consequences be damned! 

Vili fingered his mother’s picture. She loved all of them equally. She always taught them to be kind to others. Vili wished she was here. That she hadn’t died the way she had. He sighed and put the picture back in the hidden compartment. He was in no mood to look at trade agreements now. Vili leaned back in his chair looking at the ceiling. Odin was growing weaker. Vili knew he was no longer able to absorb sedir like he had been able to. Maybe….maybe one of these days the Norns would have mercy on them and Odin will die. Then….then Vili will tell Thor the truth. He will tell everyone the truth. He will make sure that Hela is freed from Helheim. He will not stay silent. Once Odin was gone Vili would make sure things were set right. Vili sighed and turned back to the trade agreements. But that was a thought for later right now he had trade agreements to sign.

** Stigr’s Inn, Central Market, Asgard **

Fandral sighed as he looked at Volstagg stuffing his face with chicken. He had eaten two chickens already but somehow he was still hungry. That was all they did these days. Eat and drink and loiter in the market. Thor hadn’t returned from Midgard yet. Fandral wasn’t sure he would want their company even if he did return. All Volstagg and Sif did was complain that there was nothing to do. Well Sif also pinned after Thor. A few days ago Hogun had received a letter from his father and had to return to Vanaheim. Fandral wasn’t sure when he was coming back or if he was coming back. 

It was trade season but there were less traders than usual. Especially from Alfheim and Vanaheim. Volstagg had asked one trader from Alfheim why that was the case and he had said that as a sign of respect for their King who was mourning the loss of his family members, the traders had decided they would stay in Alfheim and mourn too. There was nothing wrong about that except that the trader clearly implied that Freyr mourned not just Queen Frigga but also Loki. That had set Volstagg and Sif off on a long triade about how Loki was a traitor and shouldn’t be mourned. The trader had simply replied that Prince Loki was still King Freyr’s family no matter his mistakes. His loss was as real as Queen Frigga’s. Fandral had to pull Volstagg and Sif away before they caused a scene.

Fandral couldn’t argue with the trader’s logic though. Loki was Thor’s brother. He had done terrible things and had betrayed Thor towards the end of his life but that did not erase the thousand years that he spent by Thor’s side. And it did not change the love Thor or Odin or Freyr or any other member of his family felt towards him. That was not how emotions worked. But Sif and Volstagg seemed to be having a hard time accepting this.

Fandral’s thoughts were interrupted as Sif sat down at the table beside Volstagg. “Ugh! This is so frustrating!” 

Fandral looked at Sif confused, “What is frustrating? We haven’t done anything. Volstagg is still eating”

Sif looked at Fandral like he was an idiot. “Not you silly! Thor is still on Midgard. I went to Heimdall to ask about him and he said Thor is still at that..that woman’s house! King Odin said he sent Thor to run an errand. Why does Thor have to stay with  **her** ?!! Doesn’t he have other friends on Midgard? But Heimdall says Thor went to her as soon as he landed on Midgard.”

Fandral fought to not roll his eyes. This complaint was nothing new. As a matter of fact all Sif had done other than pinning for Thor was to refer to Jane Foster as rudely as she could without outright insulting her. Really if Thor loved her then Sif should just accept it already and move on. It was Thor’s choice. Did Sif truly think she could force Thor to love her?

“They are lovers. It’s not so unusual that Thor would choose to go to her. I am sure Thor will be back soon. Maybe we can all go on a hunt together when he comes back. It will be just like old times.” It won’t be like old times. Loki was dead. Without him Thor was bound to be upset even if he did join them. But Fandral did not want to have that argument again. 

Sif nodded, “Yes. His Grace said the same. He says Thor might be back by the end of the month. But I’m worried about him. He’s all alone there. The mortals are weak. What if something goes wrong? We should be there too.”

Fandral wanted to point out that Thor and his ‘weak mortal’ friends had stopped the Chitauri and Loki all on their own just fine. But really that conversation was another headache. Sometimes it was best to flow with the river rather than trying to swim against it. “I am sure King Odin and Heimdall won’t let that happen. And the mortals may be weak but Thor is not to be underestimated. He can handle himself. Heimdall will surely tell us if we are needed.”

Sif looked like she wanted to argue but then she let it go. Fandral sighed in relief. He wondered how it had come to this. When did conversation with his friends become a chore? Fandral realized that nothing had been right since Thor’s ruined coronation. And after Loki’s fall Thor had seemed constantly in despair. He had put all his time and effort in rebuilding the Bifrost. He had gone to Heimdall and inquired everyday about Loki. Fandral knew he spent time in the portion of the garden that Loki used to tend to personally. It was like without Loki, Thor was just a shadow. He ate and drank and talked and laughed but in the quiet moments Fandral could see just how much Loki’s absence hurt Thor. Fandral and the others had been terrible friends. They all condemned Loki never once thinking how Thor might feel about that. Maybe that was why Thor had chosen to go without them. 

Fandral was struck with the feeling that his friendship with Thor was a lost cause. That Thor might not ever want to be around him again. Because he had not respected Thor’s emotions. Because Thor might feel his friends did not understand him. That Fandral did not understand him. Fandral stood up. A sudden itch to go to Thor and ask for forgiveness clawed its way up his stomach. Sif and Volstagg looked at him questioningly. “Uh….I just remembered….my mother wanted help with...uh...the grain...that’s coming today.” Fandral composed himself. “I mean, we have grain coming for the winter and mother wanted my help in storing it. I...uh…..I have to go. See you later”

Fandral rushed out, not waiting for Sif or Volstagg to reply, barely remembering to pay Stigr on the way out. Once outside Fandral paused. Where to go? Thor was on Midgard and Fandral doubted King Odin had suddenly changed his mind and was going to allow Fandral to go to him. Fandral paced in front of the inn’s door. A few people passing by looked at him strangely. He was being obnoxious. Fandral decided to go to the council and ask if there was some work he could do. Maybe one of Thor’s uncles might have pity on him and give him something to occupy his time. And then when Thor returned the first thing Fandral would do was say sorry. For everything. And then he was going to try and become a better friend. One with whom Thor felt comfortable enough to share his woes. Mind made up Fandral headed for the palace.

** Council Room, Odin’s Palace, Asgard **

Ve opened the door and looked around. There was no one in the room yet. It seems the other council members were not here yet. Vili had said he was going to be looking over the trade agreements so he might not come at all. Odin was probably still holed up in his rooms doing something...whatever it was he did these days. The other members might be busy with the traders that were coming and going at the moment. Ve sighed and pushed past the door walking into the room.

He sat at the council table on his chair and looked up at the ceiling. The mural on the wall showed a replica of the council table with all the councillors and Odin holding a scroll which was supposed to be a representation of the peace treaties he made with the other realms. Ve scoffed. Odin wouldn’t know peace if it slapped him. A knock interrupted Ve’s thoughts. He looked at the door with a frown.

“Come in” A guard entered and bowed, “My Lord, Fandral wished to speak with the council” Ve’s eyebrows rose in surprise. Normally a common soldier would not have the permission to demand an audience from the council directly unless the council was holding court for the people. But Thor’s friends had always been given privileges above their rank. Still Ve was curious. He nodded to the guard, “Very well. The council is yet to arrive fully, but let him in. I want to know what he wants.”

The guard bowed and hurried to obey Ve’s command. Fandral the Dashing peered in the door and walked in when he saw Ve sitting at the table. He bowed. “My Lord.”

Ve nodded at him. “Fandral. Tell me what brings you to the council? Thor is not here yet, if that’s what you came to ask.”

Fandral shook his head, “No My Lord. I did not come to inquire about Thor. Sif already inquired about him from Heimdall. He is still on Midgard and will probably be there for some more time.”

Ve fought to control his surprise. Did Heimdall just pass information about the Crown Prince around for anyone who came asking? This wasn’t the first time Ve heard that Heimdall chose to reveal information that he was supposed to keep to himself. Truly that man was out of control. Odin relied on Heimdall too much. One of these days Heimdall was going to do something drastic. Again. He had already been a traitor by ruining things during Loki’s brief reign. And Ve was sure that the whole incident with Thor on Jotunheim wouldn’t have ever happened if Heimdall had done his job as gatekeeper properly.

Fandral was still looking at him. “Very well. Then why are you here?” 

Fandral shifted on his feet. “I….I wanted to ask if there was some work. Any work that I could help with….I mean to say if there is any work I am willing to do it.”

Interesting. Usually Thor’s friends ate and drank on Thor’s coin. When they were not joining Thor on his exploits, Thor had ordered some servants at the palace to ensure that his friends had everything they needed. Since Odin had never contested this order, it was essentially the royal house that paid for everything Thor’s friends owned or wanted. Ve had tried to bring the matter up with Odin but he didn’t care and Thor of course had taken offense to it. Frigga had noticed but she virtually had no power over anything and couldn’t do anything about it even if she wanted to. So things remained as it is.

Ve thought about it. Thor’s friends were the classic example of prejudiced Aesir warriors. He wanted to teach them to respect the other races. Norns knew all of the Aesir could do with that lesson. But Ve’s reach was limited. Maybe he could use this opportunity. Ve tapped his fingers on the table. “The trade season has been slow this year, naturally. But I do have some delegates coming from Vanaheim tomorrow. You see that they are well settled. Show them around. Talk to them about the trade with discretion of course. They are a little sensitive about the Aesir….” which was to say like most Vanir they disliked Asgard and everyone in it. “Please take care that no one hurts their sentiments. Some of the traders have chosen to discontinue trade with Asgard. We need others to fill the gap. And for that I need these delegates to return home with praises for Asgard. There must be no mistakes.” Ve looked at Fandral with his sternest expression.

Fandral nodded hurriedly. “Yes, of course My Lord. I shall see to them. I won’t disappoint you”

That remained to be seen but for now Ve nodded, “Good. Go to Ingrid. She must be on the east side of the palace right now. Near the servant quarters. She is in charge of arranging rooms for the delegates. Make sure she has everything she needs….” Ve scribbled a quick order stating that Fandral had been made in charge of the delegates during their stay and put his seal on it. He held out the paper to Fandral, “If you need anything, show this to the store keeper, Frode. He will provide it.”

Fandral took the order and bowed before hurrying out to fulfill his newly assigned duties. Ve will make sure that someone paid him for his services. Maybe that would teach to earn his own coin. Ve waited for some more time. It seemed the council was not going to gather to discuss state matters today. Ve decided to head back home. The murals in the palace made him want to stab himself or Odin. He looked at the mural in the council room one last time praying to the Norns that they had mercy on Asgard when the time came to pay for the blood Odin had shed.

** Lady Eir’s room, West Wing, Odin’s Palace, Asgard **

Eir sat at her vanity, looking in the mirror. She had served the royal house of Asgard for nearly three thousand years. Eir traced her features with a finger. She removed a locket that hung around her neck hidden in the folds of her voluminous gown. She opened the locket and stared at the picture of two young girls inside. One of the girls had one blue and one red eye. She also had blue markings around her face. The other girl was Eir herself from when she had been younger. 

This picture was the only memory left of her sister, Ama. Unlike Eir, Ama had features that gave away her Jotun heritage. Ama had been one of the Valkyries. Their mother was Jotun while their father was half Jotun. Both had died when Eir and Ama had been young. Eir had taken interest in the healing arts but Ama wanted to fight for Asgard. Then Bor announced that he was assembling a force made of women warriors. Eir and Ama had parted ways. Eir went to the palace to train as a healer and Ama went to the training ring to train as a Valkyrie. 

No one knew they were related. They looked too different for anyone to guess it. The war with Skoll followed and nothing had been right after it. Then came the day Ama came to Eir speaking of terrible things. Things that Odin had done. She wanted Eir to get out of Asgard. Flee while there was still a chance. But Eir hadn’t wanted to leave; she was about to be promoted to Chief Healer. It was what she had worked so hard for. Eir regretted that. She should have listened to her sister. They should have both fled from this horrible place. The next time Eir saw her sister, she was a corpse. Slain like an animal to keep Odin’s dirty secrets. Eir had vowed that day that Odin would pay for her sister’s death.

She was one of the few friends Queen Frigga had. She had lent an ear on many days when it was hard for the Queen to stay silent. She had watched Thor and Loki grow from young boys to young men. Now she served King Freyr. After Queen Frigga’s death King Freyr had contacted her through dreams. He had known of her friendship with Queen Frigga. He wanted Eir to be his eyes and ears. He said that he and Freya hadn’t been idle all these years. Not at all. They had been secretly building up their forces. With Queen Frigga gone Freyr and Freya were contemplating freeing Hela. They wanted justice too. 

Eir agreed to help them. As Chief Healer she had easy access to the royal family. These past months Odin had been behaving strangely. He had been growing weaker. At first Eir thought it was old age. But it was something more than that. Something was wrong. The last time Eir had talked to King Freyr, there had been a light in his eyes. Something had happened. But Freyr wouldn’t tell her what. Not yet. That was alright. Eir knew that there was risk she would be caught and Freyr was simply making sure nobody had the complete information if that happened. 

Eir closed the locket and wore it again, hiding it beneath her clothes. She tied her hair up. Whatever it was Eir was going to do everything in her power to bring Odin down. She was willing to go to any length to avenge her sister. Eir checked her hair one more time and got up. It was trade season, there was bound to be some fool that got in a pointless fight. The Aesir ego got hurt if the wind flew in the wrong direction. Eir had a job to do.

TBC.....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanted to give a glimpse of Asgard because we haven't seen anyone's perspective from there after Thor left.....  
> Also yes I totally gave Odin a fatal disease (he earned it, he's terrible) but don't worry it doesn't mean he's just going to die before he has answered for everything.  
> Also here we get to see the result of all the illusions/wards Zaaroc, Freyr, Farbauti and the others have been using which is to say Heimdall and Odin have completely the wrong impression about everything.


	25. Planning (part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of unexplored paths and horrible fathers.....

**Inside the Black Castle, Helheim**

Loki gripped his hair in frustration. Hela sighed from her spot and Laufey rubbed his forehead. They were back in the dining room, trying to figure out that blasted chain Odin had conjured. It was not going well. The links of the chain were like black holes, they absorbed all the spells Loki threw at them. Laufey had tried to see if his ice magic could freeze the links and break them but the chain was absorbed in Hela’s skin, all he managed to do was give her frostbite. Hela said she had tried to carve out the chain in the past but her knives went through is as if it was made of shadow.

Loki was beginning to think they were not capable of removing the chain at all. Without Hela attempting to bring Loki back was like trying to stitch a wound blindfolded while fighting a horde. That is to say, it would be a disaster. Loki had read about this somewhere, if only he could remember where. Loki banged his fist on the table. Ice spiked from his hand covering the whole table. Of course his powers had decided now was the time to go out of control. 

“Easy Loki. We will figure it out. We have time. We need to be patient.”, Laufey tried to console him.

Loki put his head in his hands, “We don’t have time. Thor doesn’t have time. We need to figure this out and we need to do it now.”

Hela sighed, “It would help if we had any frame of reference for this thing. I don’t think the chain was supposed to work like this. I think Odin combined two things together and out came this grotesque dark magic”

The light bulb went off in Loki’s head. Of course. That’s why he hadn’t been able to make the connection. Loki looked at the chain with fresh eyes. All this time he was thinking of the magic as a whole. But it was two separate spells. One to bind Hela’s powers and another to give control of the chain to Odin. He knew where he had read about the chain. It was the chain of Auroch, the great Fire Demon. Loki had read about it from a book he stole from one of the delegates that came from Muspelheim. It had been long back. Loki had been a teen and had read the book hurriedly before its absence was noted. That’s why it took him so long to recall it.

Loki stepped around the table up to Hela. He looked at Hela questioningly. Hela held out her hand for Loki to see. Loki studied the chain again. Yes. He could see the chain had latched itself onto Hela’s sedir. This was a spell the fire demons used to control the prisoners. The ones with sedir. The chain was drawing power not just from Odin but also from Hela herself. It consumed her sedir. It didn’t seem capable of latching on to the additional power Hela was drawing from Helheim. But it was like a leech. Loki had read that this chain was no longer used as it killed the prisoners eventually by consuming their souls when the sedir was gone. Hela was alive only because she kept drawing power from Helheim to replace the one that the chain was draining.

The problem was the second spell Odin had used. It was more magic from Muspelheim. If Loki got out of here he was going to march there and torch their library. The fire demons messed with things they really shouldn’t. It was a spell Muspelheim used for slaves. It bound the slave to their master. So that the slave could not run or escape. Odin was using it to make sure Hela did not leave Muspelheim. There were only two ways that this spell would break. If Odin died or if Hela died. Despite being in Helheim, Hela was alive. She was here both body and soul. If she ‘died’ for some time maybe….Loki shook his head. That would alert Odin. They needed to do this without Odin realizing what they were up to. Everything Hela did inside Helheim did not step over the rule Odin had set for her. She did all of it while she was still in Helheim. But if she died the chain would break as one end of the connection would be gone. That was a big red flag. Loki tried to recall what else he had read about the spell. There was something about a transfer….

Hela sighed and pulled her hand from Loki’s grip, “It’s fine. Maybe I can teach Laufey how to sense a soul’s connection to its body and he can help you”

Loki shook his head, “But you are better at it. There has to be some way.” A thought occurred to Loki. “You said the castle was already here right? When you first came here?”

Hela nodded, “Yes the castle, all the rooms they were already here. Like I said before, this castle is the ‘throne’ of Helheim”

Loki bit his lip, “Ok. And you have a map of all the rooms? I mean do you know each and every room of this castle. Is there any room here that is wrong? Or rather a room which is there but you don’t understand what it is supposed to be for?”

Hela wondered where her cousin was going with this. “Yes. I explored all the rooms of the castle. There’s store rooms and rooms that are supposed to be used for weapons. There’s even a dungeon with chains that can bind souls. I haven’t…..no wait….there is a room in the lower level of the main building. It’s a big circular room with absolutely nothing in it. I can’t tell what it is supposed to be used for. I do sense sedir running in the walls of that room. But I couldn’t tell what purpose it served.”

Loki nodded, “We should go there. You are right in assuming that this is the throne of Helheim. I have never heard of Helheim having a ruler. There is virtually no information about any kingdom here. But if Helheim did have a ruler however many thousand years ago they must have made a way to communicate with the other realms. There must be something here in this castle that we can use.”

Laufey leaned in, “You are right my father used to tell a story of how in the time of Ymir, there was a council held by the rulers of all the realms in the nine. He did say all the realms. It must include Helheim. In any case Hela have you tried to see if you can use Helheim’s power to communicate?”

Hela frowned, “Of course I have tried. It doesn’t work. The chain tightens its hold on my sedir every time I try.”

Loki shook his head, “I will rephrase that. I think what Laufey means to say is have you tried to see if there is any object or relic or artifact here in Helheim that can be used to communicate with people on the other side?” Loki turned to Laufey, “What if someone specifically summoned Hela? Or rather did a ritual to summon the current ruler of Helheim? Would that work?”

Laufey rubbed his chin in thought, “I don’t know. I have no idea if there is a ritual like that. There’s one more thing. Before Odin attacked Jotunheim, I was looking for secret paths on Midgard. It is the natural gateway to all the other realms. My father made a map. I was trying to decipher it. I had come very close but then Freyr came to warn me about Odin and I had to leave. Do you think we can find a path that would take Hela to Midgard from Helheim?”

Loki thought the idea had merit. But Hela shook her head, “No. The thought had occurred to me too. I tried to find the secret paths and even found one. But I couldn’t access it. The chain. It blocked my sedir. It won’t let me leave.”

Loki nodded, “That makes sense. The chain itself is a spell. But there is another spell on top of it. It used to be for the slaves. To control them. The ‘master’ would set some basic rules. In your case it is not being able to leave Helheim or contact anyone outside Helheim. The slave was free to do what they wanted as long as they did not break the basic rules. I think Odin did this spell later once you projected yourself in his room. The initial spell was just to bind your magic. It’s a dark spell though. If you did not have the supply of sedir from Helheim you would have become a husk by now. The spell consumes sedir and then moves on to the soul when done. It’s like a leech.”

Loki remembered what he had read now, “But there is a way...The slave spell….I recall it now….the master could transfer ownership of the spell and the slave attached to it to his next of kin.”

Hela who had been frowning, looked interested, “You are saying...that technically Odin can give ‘ownership’ of me to Vili or Ve….or Thor. He can give it to Thor”

Loki smiled, “Exactly. And once Thor has the ownership, he can set you free. He can break the spell.”

Hela and Loki smiled at each other. Laufey cleared his throat to get their attention, “Yes that is all well and good. Not the part where Odin bound his own daughter like a slave but this is more progress than expected. It still doesn’t solve our immediate problem. Shall we go see this room Hela described?”

Hela nodded, “Yes. It’s in the main building. Come on then. Follow me.”

Loki, Laufey and Hela all made their way to the main building of the castle. It had a huge foyer with a grand staircase. Hela went over to a curtain and pushed it aside revealing a full length glass window. Loki could tell it was actually a well crafted illusion. She felt around and put her hand on one of the glass squares and the window shimmered before disappearing to reveal a staircase curving downwards.

Hela conjured a floating light, “Shall we?” She started climbing down. Loki and Laufey followed. As they went down the stairs Laufey looked at Loki, “How do you know so much about Muspelheim’s magic? You can’t have gotten it all from just one book.”

Loki stiffened. Laufey had been very open minded about Loki’s tendency to cause trouble till now. But surely even he must find Loki’s exploits sometimes crossed lines. “I...uh...I disguised myself as a fire demon and snuck into Muspelheim once. Just for a day. I couldn’t stay there for longer. Something about the place rubbed me the wrong way and I found the heat to be too much. I couldn’t understand why back then. Now I know Muspelheim’s environment didn’t agree with my biology.”

Laufey blinked at his son. Loki had said he was a shapeshifter but Laufey hadn’t realized just how talented he was at his craft. Loki was truly gifted. “I never asked….just how many forms can you shift into?”

Loki was surprised by the question. There was only one other person who had asked him that. Thor. For some reason, Thor had always been fascinated by Loki’s ability to shapeshift. “Uh…..I can turn into a snake, a magpie, a raven, a wolf, a panther, a cat, an elf, and a fire demon of course. I can also change my gender while I am in any of these forms or even in my true form. Or rather what I thought was my true form. I never tried to shapeshift into a Jotun which now that I think about it would have been an interesting experiment. I’m not sure if I can change my gender in my actual true form or not..” Loki shrugged. 

Laufey looked at him in surprise. That was a surprising range for a mage as young as Loki. Hela looked over her shoulder at her cousin, “All the other animals I understand. But why a snake?”

Loki smirked as he recalled why he had taken an interest in that form, “Oh. To prank Thor. He loves snakes. He always picked up random snakes from the forest and brought them home. So one day I transformed myself into one and then he picked me up and then I transformed back and said ‘It’s me!’ and then I stabbed him. I still remember the look on his face..” Loki smiled happily. It was a good memory.

Laufey roared with laughter and Hela stopped clutching her stomach as she laughed. Loki smiled at them. At least they enjoyed his pranks. Thor had been upset and pouted for a week. 

Hela wiped tears from her eyes, “That is the funniest thing I have heard in centuries.” She walked up to the stair Loki was on and pinched his cheeks, “You are my favorite cousin. I say once we get out let’s prank Thor together. It’ll be fun!”

Loki pulled out of Hela’s grasp, “Stop it. I’m your only cousin. You have no choice. I’m favorite by default. But the idea has merit. It’s a deal. Once we are both out, we can prank Thor together. The humans have these devices to record these things. We can even record it!” Hela and Loki shook hands to seal the deal. Thor wouldn’t know what hit him.

Laufey smiled at their antics, “Yes. yes. It will be great fun. But for that we need you to get out of here first. How long is this staircase anyway?”

Hela frowned, “It’s two whole floors I think. Come on we are nearly there.”

Hela was right. After another set, Loki, Laufey and Hela came to a larger circular room. Loki could feel the change in the air. This place had some deep magic buried in it. Laufey felt it too.

Hela went over to the middle of the room, “See. I can sense sedir. But there’s nothing here. I have no idea what this room does.”

Loki examined the wall on the left and Laufey examined the one on the right. Loki could see there was sedir soaked up in the bricks that made up the walls. He cast a small spell to reveal hidden things but it bounced off. 

Hela shook her head, “It’s no use. I tried every spell I knew to reveal things but it just doesn’t work.”

Loki frowned. There must be something. Some purpose for which this room was built. Laufey inspected the walls. Not touching the sedir on it. But just studying it. Trying to see if he could figure out why this room of all the rooms was spelled. 

He turned back to look at Hela, “Have you tried to reach out with your connection to Helheim? Maybe check if there are ley lines underneath this room.”

Hela nodded. She closed her eyes and reached out with her sedir. There were no ley lines here but now that she was looking for open connections, she could feel the sedir in the walls respond to her call. It reached out towards Hela and stopped as if waiting for a command. Loki gasped as the sedir of the walls shocked him. Laufey stepped back towards the entrance of the room, pulling Loki with him. This magic would not welcome them. 

Hela frowned. She had been in this room before, it had never responded to her like this. But then Hela had just absorbed more sedir from Helheim yesterday. Maybe that made a difference. She thought about it. What did she want most right now? She wanted to talk to Thor. She needed to see him face to face once. She focused on how Loki described Thor’s sedir as. The way it felt over the connection Loki and Thor shared

Loki and Laufey stepped back further as the sedir on the walls came off it and started collecting in a circle before Hela. The sedir was like water, only more silvery in color. It built up into a huge door that touched the ceiling; the silvery sedir covered the side facing the room’s entrance. Loki and Laufey stepped around it to see Hela. The other side opened into a strange place that had no color. It appeared to be a forest of some sort. Hela reached out one hand to touch the image and was pulled inside the door. At the same time Loki felt pain in his mind as he sensed someone trying to access Thor’s mind without his consent. 

“Ah!” Loki clutched his head and Laufey who had been reaching for Hela turned to look at him. “Loki?!!” Laufey was immediately at Loki’s side, holding him up. But Loki ignored him. He tried to think past the pain. It seemed that this door and the sudden intrusion on Thor’s mind were connected. It was a risky move but Loki decided to let the presence knocking on Thor’s mind in. As soon as Loki made that decision he felt himself be pulled into their shared dreamscape.

**Mrs Hughes House, London, Midgard.**

Thor sighed as he sat on his bed in his newly designated room. As promised Lael had rented a house for them. It was located centrally in the city of London. The house belonged to a nice old lady, Mrs Hughes. She didn’t live here anymore but rather had moved to the country. Lael had rented this house from her almost permanently. He used it whenever he needed a change of air. It was a good setup that ensured that Mrs. Hughes had some regular income and Lael had a house waiting for him whenever he needed it. 

The journey here had exhausted Thor. First they had taken a bus to the city of Albuquerque. Thor had slept only three hours before Zaaroc shook him awake saying they needed to pack. Thor had repacked his bag, and contemplated what to do with Mjolnir. He did not feel like carrying it anymore. It felt more like Hela's weapon than his own now that Thor knew everything. At the same time, Thor couldn’t just leave it lying around. In the end Zaaroc opened a pocket dimension and Thor sent Mjolnir through it for safekeeping.

Then Zaaroc had received that package he had been waiting for. It had passports and visa documents that were technically illegal but then Thor didn’t have the time to wait for the Midgardian authorities to make provisions in the law to suit Thor’s situation. Jane had asked how Zaaroc got her information. But Zaaroc said it was a secret. Her documents were legal except for the part where the process had been glossed over and the documents backdated. 

Thor boarded the plane under the name ‘Jake Olson’ while Zaaroc used the name he had given to Lael’s secretary, ‘Zayne Feredir’. The ‘flight’ took almost thirteen hours if one counted the time spent at the airport itself. Zaaroc said it would have been worse if they had used a commercial plane. He wore an illusion that changed his hair color from white to blonde and made them appear shorter. He also changed the shape of his ears. Jane had been fascinated. Zaaroc also cast a small disassociation spell that made people ignore them. It was so no one recognized Thor. That would cause a scene and they were trying to be discreet.

After that it had taken nearly an hour with all the traffic to reach Mrs. Hughes’ house where Aerin was waiting for them. She appeared as a slender old woman with brown hair that was mostly grey and blue eyes. Her ears were round but once they crossed the threshold of the house and closed the door, her ears became pointed and her hair became a darker richer brown color with a few grey hair here and there. Her face lost some of the age though Thor could tell she was at least as old as Freyr if not older. She hugged Zaaroc and complained that he never visited her.

Zaaroc was clearly fond of Aerin as he took the complaints graciously. Aerin showed them around the house. It had four bedrooms. Two on the first floor and two on the ground floor. It also had a basement which could be accessed from both outside and inside. Aerin had come from Norway the previous day and was flying back tomorrow. She and Jane picked the rooms on the ground floor while Thor and Zaaroc picked the ones on the first floor opposite each other. The house also had a bathroom shared between each pair of bedrooms and a kitchen. The street the house was on had many other houses of similar kind. But Aerin said that the people on this street all had 9-5 jobs and weren’t here most of the time except the weekends. It was fine they were not going to be performing any spells in the house. Aerin had already set up the necessary wards. All Zaaroc had to do was add his illusion to it. The rest they were going to do at the sanctum of Zaaroc’s other contacts in London.

They had unpacked a little and ate dinner. Thor had taken a shower and decided to catch up on his sleep. He rolled on his side and closed his eyes. Tomorrow they were going to see Zaaroc’s contacts. From there they planned to go to the spot where they could access Svartalfheim. It had been a long day and tomorrow was going to be even longer. As Thor felt the clutches of sleep, a strange ringing sound boomed in his mind. Thor got up clutching his head. He could see Loki’s ring glowing as someone was trying to access his mind. Fear gripped Thor. What if it was Odin?

Thor felt for his connection to Loki and saw that Loki’s side was responding to the intruder but instead of pushing the unknown presence out it let the presence in. Loki had more control of the link. Thor was helpless as he was pulled into their shared dreamscape.

**The Shadow Forest**

Hela assessed her surroundings. Something about this forest was odd. Like it was not a forest at all. It appeared as one but it was something else. She looked behind her and saw that the door through which she had come no longer showed the room from which she had come. In its place was the same silvery sedir she had seen in the room. The door was still there though so Hela turned back to the forest. She looked around and saw what looked like a path. 

Hela decided to go in that direction. After some time the trees gave way to a large golden field. Hela could see a transparent wall separating the forest from the field. She was still contemplating what to do when Loki and Thor appeared in the field and crashed into each other.

Hela perked up, “Loki? Thor? Hey!” Hela waved her hand but they didn’t notice her, “Loki!! I’m here! Can you hear me?!!”

Hela looked around, she saw a small stone by a tree. Hela picked it up and threw it at the wall. It bounced off like she had expected but Loki and Thor both clutched their heads in pain as if Hela had hit them. She realized that the wall was the boundary of their shared dreamscape. 

Hela looked at the forest behind her again. This time looking at it with her third eye. Interesting. The forest had the same sedir signature as Helheim. But Hela could tell it was not completely a part of it. Rather it was some sort of extension. Like a place in between two places. It had a faint sentience of its own. Because it was imbued completely with Helheim’s sedir, Odin’s magic thought she was still in Helheim. Neat.

But Hela did not know for how long she could stay here. The forest must have tried to pull Thor here. But because of the mental link Loki was pulled too. Hela realized that Loki must have allowed for him and Thor to be pulled here. There was no way to pull them here against their will. She had to get their attention. Hela conjured a much bigger stone this time and threw it at the wall once again.

Loki almost went down on his knees from the pain which allowed Thor to see her. She waved at them. Thor frowned but turned his attention to Loki. Hela rolled her eyes and waited for them.

**Loki and Thor’s Shared Dreamscape**

Loki felt pain as he literally crashed into Thor. His brother stumbled as little but thankfully kept his balance. He wrapped an arm around Loki’s waist to stop him from toppling them both to the ground. 

“Ow! Loki! Are you alright?! What happened?”, Thor looked at Loki in concern, cupping his face as Loki rubbed his temple in pain.

Loki rubbed his temple in pain. Ugh! What had just happened?! One minute he had been watching Hela go through the strange door and the next he felt something trying to gain access to Thor’s mind without his permission too. Loki let the presence in because he thought it had something to do with the door that had suddenly appeared. And the next thing he knew he was being pulled into the dreamscape and crashing into Thor.

Thor was still looking at him waiting for an answer. Loki shook his head to clear his thoughts. He opened his mouth to say that he was fine. But pain erupted in his head again. Thor let go of Loki and clutched his head too. So they had both felt that. It was like someone chucked a rock at their mental link. Loki frowned, rubbing his temples. What was happening?!!

“What’s happening?!!” Thor eoched Loki’s thoughts. Loki went to tell him off for asking obvious questions but pain rattled his brain so intense Loki almost went down on his knees. Thankfully Thor managed to catch him just in time, “Loki!!”

Thor caught Loki as he went down on his knees clutching his head. With Loki out his immediate field of vision, he saw that behind them was a strange forest. It was monochromatic. A woman with long black hair appeared to be standing at what seemed like a boundary separating the golden field from the forest. Thor couldn’t make out her features from so far away. The woman waved at him.

Loki recovered from the absolutely horrendous pain and saw Thor looking at something behind him. Before Loki could turn around to see what it was, Thor turned his attention back to him.

“Loki.” Thor framed Loki’s face between his hands and looked down at his face. “Are you alright?” 

Loki blinked at how close Thor’s face was for a moment but then recovered. He stood back upright, pulling out of Thor’s grip. “Yes. I’m fine. Just a little pain.” 

Thor looked skeptical about the pain being little but let it go. He peered around Loki and this time Loki turned around to look at what Thor was seeing. To his surprise there was an odd forest attached to the golden field that Loki knew was his and Thor’s shared dreamscape. Even more surprising was the transparent wall and the woman standing behind it. It was Hela. Loki walked towards the forest ignoring Thor’s protests. 

Thor walked behind Loki as he went towards the woman. As they got closer, Thor realized that the woman was Hela. Thor was confused. Wasn’t Hela trapped in Helheim. Loki had said she could not enter anyone’s dreamscape. How was she here?

Loki reached the strange transparent wall and Hela let out a huge sigh. Or at least Loki presumed it was a sigh. He could hear no sound. from that side of the wall. Hela waved her hand at him pacing and began to speak too fast for Loki to read her lips. Loki waved his hand at her to gain her attention. “I can’t hear you”

Thor had by now reached them and Hela stopped to look at him. Thor looked at his elder sister. He had seen her before in Loki’s memories but this was different. Like this Hela was too real to be ignored. She looked more like Loki’s sister than Thor’s but her expressions were all Odin. The same narrowed eyes that Odin often gave Thor when he was annoyed. Thor didn’t know what to say. 

Luckily Loki spoke from beside him. “Hela. We can’t hear you” Loki spoke slowly so that his words were easy to read and made a motion to make Hela understand the problem. 

Hela looked at Loki. Her mouth forming an Oh. She waved her hands and a paper appeared in them. She held it out for Thor and Loki to read.  _ ‘I can’t hear you either. The wall won’t allow it I think’ _ Hela looked at Loki expectantly.

Loki caught on the idea and conjured a paper for both Thor and himself.  _ ‘What is this? What happened? You went through that strange door and now we are here’ _

Thor frowned. What door? The words appeared on the paper. Thor realized that the paper would conjure any words Thor thought directly at Hela or Loki

_ ‘It seems to be a place between places. Like a dreamscape of Helheim itself. The forest is saturated with Helheim’s sedir. Odin’s spell is not able to tell the difference. I can’t be sure though’ _ Hela shrugged.

Loki appeared to be thinking,  _ ‘I think it's more like an extension. Like a waiting room of sorts. That room must be used frequently for communication. Someone scattered the spell so it couldn’t be misused. But when you called on it using your connection to Helheim it came back together. It must be partially sentient. I think it’s designed to obey Helheim’s ruler.’ _

Thor was so confused. What room? Which spell? What was happening? Hela looked at him smirking. Now she looked entirely too much like Loki when he thought Thor was being stupid.

_ ‘Go slower dear cousin. Poor little brother’s brain has sparks coming out of it trying to figure out what you’re saying’ _ Hela’s smile widened.

Loki rolled his eyes. It took a minute for Thor to realize that Hela meant him when she said ‘little brother’. It was so odd. He was used to Loki being the younger sibling. 

Loki turned to Thor, “We were looking for ways for Hela to communicate. I shared my memories about the castle, yes? Me, Hela and Laufey found a room that had sedir imbued in the walls. I think it was a scattered spell that can be used to communicate. This is good. This means that now we can communicate with Hela.” Loki held up his paper. “It’s a bit primitive and difficult. I could give Hela the permission to enter our dreamscape but I don’t think Odin’s spell will let her come in. There all caught up.”

Loki turned back to Hela and repeated his words via writing to her. Hela nodded.  _ ‘I agree. I doubt I will be able to cross over. It could alert Odin. So let’s not test that. We can use this but I need to know what the person’s sedir feels like. I knew how Thor’s felt because of your connection. I think whoever you choose to bring in this to tie Loki’s soul back, Loki will need to assess their sedir and then share those memories with me. Then I would be able to look for them on my own.’ _

Thor decided to add his two cents and tell Loki and Hela about his conversation with Freyr and Farbauti.  _ ‘I talked to Queen Farbauti. She has agreed to help. She thinks Jarnsaxa, the current high priestess, is most suited for the task of tying Loki’s soul back to his body. I also talked to Uncle Freyr. He says Loki and I need a year for the bond to settle. Till then we will have to live in proximity with each other.’ _

Hela nodded.  _ ‘That makes sense. Have you thought about where you will live? I can’t imagine Odin will leave you alone for an entire year.” _

Thor nodded.  _ ‘You’re right he won’t. Freyr has a plan. It seems the Casket of Ancient Winters is back in Jotunheim where it belongs…’ _

Thor was interrupted as Loki read his words and stepped in front of him, “What?!! The Casket is back in Jotunheim? How?!! I thought….” Loki trailed off guilt clear on his face. 

Hela stepped to the side so her view of Thor was not blocked. Thor ignored her for a moment, focusing back on Loki, “I thought so too. But apparently it’s not what happened. It did not fall into the void like everyone thought it did. The Casket latched onto the sedir of the Bifrost and when its rays fell on Jotunheim at first they caused destruction. But the Casket is the heart of Jotunheim. It recognized its home. And the destruction turned to creation. The Casket tapped into the ley lines and started reforming Jotunheim. Repairing damage that had been done by Odin”

Loki looked down at his feet. He had felt so guilty. Even Laufey had no words when Loki told him what he had done. Hela had reassured him that it had been a mistake. But Loki still felt guilty. This was….he had never expected this.

Thor put his hand under Loki’s chin and turned his face upwards to look at him, “We saw a replica of Yggdrasil remember? Where it was joined to the mechanism right?” Loki nodded numbly, “It was a sign. A sign of the Casket’s connection to Yggdrasil and to Jotunheim through it. When you broke the Bifrost bridge, the Casket's connection to Jotunheim's ley lines pulled it there. A chunk of the mechanism along with the Casket fell on the old ruins of the temple. The Casket sunk back to its sanctuary underneath the temple. Queen Farbauti is giving this news now because it took all of her and Jarnsaxa’s sedir to get to the Casket again and they had to make sure they were shielded from Heimdall”

Loki fought to control his emotions. He had no words. He had expected that the Jotun would hate him when they found out he was the one who set the Bifrost on them. That he had caused as much destruction as Odin. This was...Loki had no words…

Thor hugged Loki, “You didn’t hurt them. You didn’t destroy Jotunheim. If anything they have you to thank for the Casket being back. You helped them Loki. Unknowingly you did the right thing.”

Loki took the comfort Thor offered. He pulled out of the hug and nodded, turning back to Hela. Loki repeated what Thor had just told him. Hela looked delighted.  _ ‘This is great news! Laufey will be so happy! See I told you it would be fine Loki!’ _ Hela smiled at her cousin. She was happy for him. She had destroyed Alfheim and Vanaheim under Odin’s manipulations. To her Loki trying to destroy Jotunheim felt the same. She could sympathise.

Thor stepped closer to the wall.  _ ‘There’s more. Freyr has a plan to get Odin out of the way for a while. It seems all these years Odin has been using the Casket as an anchor to draw power from Asgard’s ley lines. He called this process Odinsleep. He did it every few centuries. With the Casket gone, he is growing weak. And he can no longer fall in Odinsleep. But Freyr says we can use this. He says we can put Odin in a coma and claim it is Odinsleep caused by the stress of recent events. His last Odinsleep was interrupted when Loki used the Casket on the Bifrost. So it is believable that he falls into another so soon. I can take over as interim ruler.’ _

Thor turned to Loki now, “You could come with me too. The only issue is you will have to change your form. And we will have to decide what character you play. It has to be someone who has a reason to be close to me all the time.” Thor said and made sure the words appeared on the paper as well so both Loki and Hela knew what he was saying. 

_ ‘This idea has merit’ _ Hela appeared to be thinking,  _ ‘As for Loki needing a viable character who has reason to be close to you, that’s easy. He can pretend he is your lover.’ _ Hela looked satisfied with her idea.

Loki took a step back his eyes wide. Thor was going red from anger or embarrassment, Hea couldn’t tell. She shook her head mentally. Really these two were too obvious. Hela was surprised people hadn’t caught on just how much Loki and Thor liked each other. 

“Don’t be ridiculous!”, The wall didn’t allow sounds to pass through. But from Loki’s wince, Thor was screaming. Ah. Anger then. Thor was red from anger. Probably on Loki’s behalf. 

Hela was unimpressed. She narrowed her eyes.  _ ‘I’m being ridiculous?!! Do you have a better idea? If he went as your friend and then spent so much time around you people are going to assume you are lovers anyways. Why not be forthcoming about it? You want to be ruler over Asgard Thor. It’s best to not have things people can use against you. If you come out and say you are in a relationship it looks better. It means you trust the people to support you. Otherwise you will be accused of hiding things or people will assume Loki is trapping you. Trust me this is better. You don’t have to sleep with Loki in public. You just have to say he is your lover and then no one will be able to object much if Loki spends all his time around you. Please think with your brain not your heart.’ _

Loki seemed to have trouble breathing and Thor was almost purple with anger. Hela thought he looked very much like Odin like this. She ‘spoke’ before Thor decided to do some more pointless yelling.  _ ‘It’s Loki’s decision too. Ask him at least before yelling at me’ _

That shut Thor up. He looked at Loki, who had somewhat managed to compose himself. His eyes were still too wide. But he was thinking, Hela could tell. “Loki?” Thor frowned, “You can’t...you’re not seriously considering this are you?” 

Loki didn’t know what to say. Pretending to be Thor’s lover would be its own kind of torture. Loki wouldn’t have to pretend much. At least not when they were in public. In private Loki would have to pretend like it was a chore to do this. But Hela was right. A lover would be the best person Loki could play. It would raise less questions for why Loki was around Thor so much. Freyr’s idea had merit too. If Odin was in a coma it would give Thor time to shape Asgard’s political landscape in his favor. They needed this.

Thor was looking at him, a little warily. “She is right” Thor took a step back at Loki’s words. But Loki kept speaking. “No Thor. She really is right. I don’t have to be overly affectionate. That would look fake. But this is the best option. We do need a solid reason for me to be around you all the time. Lover is the best alternative. I could pretend to be from Vanaheim. It will look good for your image. If you are in a serious relationship, that projects that you are ready to settle down. That you are ready for responsibility”

Thor still looked ready to run. “And what about after? After a year when the bond is settled. What is to become of our ‘relationship’ then?”

Loki thought about it. “We could ‘break up’. I will make it easier on you and be rude to everyone. Then when you decide to discontinue our relationship, the people will be relieved rather than upset. And once we bring Odin down I will be free to come as myself. It can work.”

Thor still didn’t look completely convinced but he was warming up to the idea. Loki decided to push his advantage. He stepped up to Thor and looked at him with his most pleading look. The one he knew made Thor cave in. Thor sighed. “Stop doing that. Fine. Fine you can come with me as my ‘lover’. But if there is the slightest hint that it’s not working, we back out.” 

Loki nodded, “Of course. It’s like you said. It’s our bond. It’s our ‘relationship’. We define what we are and aren’t comfortable with.” Loki smiled at Thor reassuringly, then spoke without turning, “Don’t chug another rock Hela! It’s an important decision! Be a little patient!”

Thor turned to see Hela had been about to throw another stone at the wall. Hela dropped the stone and held the paper up again.  _ ‘I can be patient. But you were taking forever. We have information to share with Thor too remember? About the chain?’ _

Loki nodded, “Ah. Yes of course. Thor I have figured out what it is that is binding Hela to Helheim. You need to inform the others as well. It’s the chain of Auroch. It was used by the fire demons to bind prisoners. It consumes sedir and once done moves on to the soul of the one bound. Hela is alive only because she keeps replacing the consumed sedir with power drawn from Helheim. There is also another spell on the chain. It is to bind a ‘slave’ to its ‘master’. Once bound the slave has to follow the basic rules set by the master. This spell breaks only with the death of either one of the parties. But there is a loophole of sorts. The ‘ownership’ of the ‘slave’ can be transferred to the next of kin. In Odin’s case that would be you, Vili or Ve. Though I prefer it be you who takes the ownership. Once you have it you can set Hela free.”

Thor blinked, processing all the information. So Odin had bound his own daughter like a slave. Thor pushed the disgust he felt down. And focused on what Loki had said. “So you are saying we have to get Odin to transfer the ownership of Hela to me. How do we do that? I’m not even supposed to know about her”

Thor looked at both Loki and Hela for a response. Hela held up her paper.  _ ‘We proceed with Freyr’s plan. Put Odin in a coma. In the year that follows gather all the evidence against him and convince the council to help you. Then when it is time to wake him. You pretend like in the year he was gone you managed to find out about me. Show him a part of evidence as proof and say you don’t believe it. Odin will no doubt try to spin a tale where he is the victim. You pretend to believe him and tell him he doesn’t have long to live. That he has been poisoned and is dying. You can go to Freyr for potions that can be fed to Odin intravenously and will corroborate your tale. When Odin finds the symptoms manifesting, he will surely panic. You use the panic to your advantage and get him to give you ownership of me. Odin will do it. He knows I’m more powerful than you. He knows that if I’m free his carefully crafted legacy will come to nothing. He’ll do it. Then of course you free me and I’ll handle everything from there’ _

Loki tapped his chin in thought,  _ ‘To fan the fire we can even pretend like Freyr and Freya rebelled and Asgard is at war. We can have a portion of the palace converted to look like Asgard is in the middle of the war. Thor can say that to help Odin heal they had to put him in a coma. That they just managed to delay the inevitable and that Thor wanted to speak to him one last time. You’ll have to pretend to be devastated, Thor. But I think it’s doable. I want Hela to be there for Odin’s trial.’ _

Thor knew what Loki meant. There was only one punishment for Odin’s crimes. Death. Once he was dead Hela would be free anyways, but it would make a difference if she was actually there at the trial. Thor still didn’t know what he felt about sentencing Odin to death, so he pushed that aside. They could do this. Thor could have soldiers and mages in the wings just in case Odin didn’t fall for it.  _ ‘Alright. I will inform the others. Freyr was going to ask Svol about the chain but now that search is narrowed down. Still I’ll tell him to ask Svol anyway. Maybe they will have a way where we won’t need Odin to transfer ownership to me’ _

Loki and Hela nodded in agreement. Hela looked behind her frowning.  _ ‘I think I have stayed here long enough. I had better go back. I take it you will have Loki’s body soon. Let’s do this as soon as we can. Now that we have a way for me to communicate. Almost everything is prepared from our side. I just need one session with Loki to teach him more about the soul bond. The rest is up to you’ _

Thor nodded,  _ ‘I have arrived in the city from where we can create a portal to Svartalflheim. It is night for me right now. I will go to some of Zaaroc’s contacts on Midgard. They are mages and will help us in bringing Loki back. I will retrieve his body and have it by tomorrow. We can do the ritual on the day after tomorrow.’ _

Hela nodded. Loki no doubt wanted to ask about these mages but he stayed silent for now. Thor decided to wait until Loki was back before telling him that Zaaroc was the lost child of their mother. He wanted Zaaroc to be there when he told Loki. Zaaroc was closer to Loki. No doubt this revelation would be better dealt with when all of them could be in the same room.

Hela looked back again.  _ ‘I can feel the door closing. I am going to leave now. It was nice seeing you little brother. I hope the next time we can actually talk.’ _ Hela smiled at Thor and he smiled back tentatively. He still didn’t know what to make of her. Hela waved at Loki and headed back, disappearing into the forest.

Loki turned to Thor, “Well I suppose I should go as well. I want to ask about these mages that have suddenly sprung up on Midgard, but I feel the strain of being here. I need to check on Hela as well. See you soon?”

Thor nodded, “Yes. Of course Loki. Don’t worry. If all goes well in two days we can talk for as long as we want.”

Loki and Thor smiled at the prospect. Loki waved one last time and disappeared. Thor closed his eyes as the dreamscape crumbled and let himself be carried by home.

TBC…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Helheim as a realm has existed for a lot longer than Hela or even Odin's lifespan. It is sentient on its own and picks a ruler which it then serves accordingly. However sentience is not well formed like consciousness. That is why the spell in the room can give Hela what she wants only in a rudimentary way.


	26. Planning (part 3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> more plans and finally execution...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally the moment has arrived....

Zaaroc sat the dining table gaping at Thor. Till yesterday they had so much to figure out and somehow in one night, Thor had talked to both Loki and Hela. Found a way for Hela to communicate, figured out the spells that bound her and made a plan for his and Loki’s stay on Asgard. Oh, and he had also made a plan to free Hela. 

Jane leaned forward from beside him, “Wow. That is a lot of progress. This solves like 50 percent of our problems right? I mean I’m not sure about this Loki pretending to be your boyfriend thing but the rest of it is great!”

Zaaroc closed his mouth. “Or girlfriend. Don’t forget Loki can switch genders. He might choose a female form. And Hela is right, it's a good plan. They don’t need that many displays of public affection to project that they are together. It’s fine.”

Jane looked thoughtful. Zaaroc clapped his hands, “Well then! I guess that just leaves just three things for us to do. Get Loki’s body. Gather everyone and everything for the ritual and make sure everyone has all the information they need. I’ll handle the informing part while you are retrieving Loki’s body. We should be able to do this ritual by tomorrow night. Are you done eating? We can leave now. Aerin’s flight was early in the morning and she's gone already.”

Thor nodded and got up to put his plate in the kitchen sink. “Yes. Let’s leave. We still have to figure out the path to Svartalfheim”

Zaaroc nodded and Jane got up too. “Yes. I brought my equipment. So let’s take that with us. I know where the warehouse is but the equipment can help us pinpoint the place of this secret path more accurately.”

Jane, Thor and Zaaroc separated. Zaaroc went to hail a cab, wearing his illusion again. Thor changed into a pair of jeans and shirt and wore his jacket. Jane picked up the bag with all her equipment. She could assemble it once they were at the warehouse. Thor helped Jane carry the bag while she locked the door behind them both. Zaaroc had a cab waiting and they all climbed in.

The cab stopped at a house a few streets away from their house. Jane and Thor got out and Zaaroc paid the fare. Zaaroc went up to the door of the sanctum and knocked on it. Thor studied the symbol on the huge glass window that he could see. After sometime a man with salt and pepper hair and a beard opened the door. He saw Zaaroc and looked behind him to see Jane and Thor and stepped aside to let them in.

As they went in Thor felt the wards probe them. This place was saturated with sedir. The inside of the sanctum was definitely larger than the outside. There was a grand staircase and Thor could once again feel the sedir of this place. The sanctum was alive. It had a faint sentience of its own. Zaaroc reverted to his original form dropping the glamour and turned to Jane and Thor.

“This is Master Sol. The keeper of this sanctum. Master Sol, this is my cousin Prince Thor of Asgard and our friend Dr. Jane Foster.” Zaaroc introduced them.

Master Sol looked at Thor curiously. “Welcome Prince Thor, Dr. Foster. This is the London Sanctum Sanctorum. I am Master Sol Rama, its keeper and protector. You do not need to refer to me by my title. Simply Sol is fine.”

Thor nodded, “Very well Sol. You may call me by my name too.” Jane nodded too. “Yes. Please just call me Jane as well.”

Sol nodded, “Very well.” He turned to Zaaroc. “Come. The Ancient One is waiting for you. She is in the study.”

Sol directed them towards a room in the corner of the foyer. As they entered the room. Thor saw a tall slender woman. She was bald and wore long yellow robes with a brown belt to secure them. Beside her was a man with a serious face in red robes. It looked like the man had never smiled in his life.

Zaaroc smiled at the woman and hugged her. “Aroa it’s been a long time. I would have visited sooner but things were very bad for a while. Thank you for agreeing to do this.”

The woman smiled at Zaaroc, “It is not a problem Zaaroc. It’s the very least I can do. I must admit I did not see this coming. But this is a welcome change. I think it will be good for all of us in the long run.” Aroa pointed to the man beside him, “This is Master Wong. He is the Master of the New York sanctum. He is the most knowledgeable sorcerer after me. He will assist you in retrieving Loki’s body”

Master Wong held his hand out for Zaaroc to shake, his expression not changing one bit. Zaaroc smiled nevertheless. “Nice to meet you. This is my cousin Prince Thor and Dr. Jane Foster.” Zaaroc pointed at them. Wong only looked at them briefly.

Aroa stepped towards Thor holding out her hand. Thor shook it. “Prince Thor. It’s a pleasure. I hope we are able to accomplish this task successfully.” She turned towards Jane, shaking her hand. “Dr. Foster. I have read your theories. I find your work fascinating. I am also curious how you managed to absorb the Aether. Once we are done would you mind sharing your experience with me?”

Jane shook Aroa’s hand. “Thank you. I won’t mind a chat. I think I need it. I still don’t understand how I managed to absorb the Aether myself”

Aroa nodded, “It’s a deal then.” She turned back to Zaaroc. “Zaaroc. Master Sol will prepare the room for the ritual. It’s in the lower levels of the Sanctum. The only way to get there is by portal. We should keep Loki’s body there. It’s the most secure place in the sanctum. You said we will have visitors from other realms but they are still trying to figure out how to get here. I think I can help. Why don’t you stay behind? You can bring me up to speed. Dr. Foster and Prince Thor can go with Wong and retrieve Loki’s body. Wong is perfectly capable of casting illusions so they won’t be seen. We will get more done if we work in groups”

Zaaroc nodded, “Yes. There has been some development since our chat last night. I do need your opinion on some things.” He turned to Thor. “If that’s ok with you…?”

Thor nodded, “Yes that’s alright with me. Jane and I know the warehouse and you can’t come with me to Svartalfheim anyways.”

Aroa pulled out a locket from her robe. It was a gold ball with some green liquid in it on a leather cord. She handed it to Thor, “Here this will cast an illusion on your when you are in Svartalfheim. So Odin and Heimdall don’t spot you”

Thor took the locket and wore it, nodding at Aroa gratefully. “Thank you”

Aroa conjured two shovels and handed them to Wong. Jane opened her bag and assembled the tripods. Sol left to prepare the room they needed. 

“Alright. To open a portal Wong needs a picture of how the warehouse looks.” Aroa looked at Thor and Jane. 

Jane pulled out her phone, “I’ll have to thank Darcy. She backed up all of my data on the cloud. I took pictures of the warehouse when we first went there. Here. Will this do?” Jane held up her phone for Wong to see.

Wong looked at the picture carefully and nodded. “Yes this will do. Are you ready?”

Thor nodded holding the tripods Jane had assembled in his arms. Jane pulled out a tablet from her bag and nodded as well.

Wong pulled out a strange ring from the folds of his robe and put it on. He made a circular motion. Jane’s tripods started buzzing, picking up the signals. A circle made of sparks appeared and on the other side Thor could see the warehouse. Wong motioned to the portal, “After you?”

Thor looked at Zaaroc one more time and nodded. He caught Jane’s arm and pulled her with him. She was too busy looking at her tablet reading the signals. They stepped through. Wong came after them and closed the portal. Jane looked behind them realizing they were now at the warehouse.

“That was awesome! You have to explain how you did that to me!” Jane sidled up to Wong, who looked a little taken aback by her enthusiasm. Thor shook his head fondly. He set the tripods on the ground and Jane immediately began to set them up in different spots. 

Wong recovered and turned to Thor. “Where did you come through from Svartalfheim, Your Grace?”

Thor smiled at Wong. “Please just call me Thor. No need for the formalities.” Thor looked around and saw the spot that Jane and he had found. “There. We came through there.”

Jane re-joined them. “Yup. The signals are all like they were last time. That’s the spot we came through last time. Nothing seems to have changed.”

Wong nodded. He handed the shovels he was carrying under one arm to Thor. “Here. You take this. I will need all of my power to keep the portal between the two realms open. I can hold it for one hour only. You have to get back before that. Also I need to know what the other side looks like to make the portal.”

Thor nodded and took the shovels. “I will be back before that. Loki’s grave is not far from the spot where the portal will open.” He held out his hand. “I don’t have a picture. But you can read my memory. I am giving you permission. I will project what the place looked like.”

Wong eyed the ring on Thor’s hand. He knew without Thor’s explicit consent the ring could hurt him. Sometimes he wondered how he got stuck in these situations. But he trusted Aroa. She said uniting Thor and Loki could bring lasting peace to the nine realms for many generations. He needed to do this. Wong took Thor’s hand and read his memory of Svartalfheim. He also felt the echo of Thor’s grief over Loki’s death but ignored it. He had what he needed. 

Wong nodded to Thor and let go of his hand. He walked over to the spot. He could feel the hum of magic. The walls were thin here. Wong could do this. Jane and Thor followed him. Wong held up his hand to open another portal. This one took some time to form. The sparks were a mix of gold and blue. Wong strained as the walls kept trying to close. He could do this. He had to. 

Thor didn’t waste any time. He could see the mage was struggling to keep the portal open. Thor stepped through as soon as he saw the cave in Svartalfheim. Thor walked out of the cave and looked around. He could see the marker he had placed on Loki’s grave. It was just a rock, but it was enough. Thor hurried there. He had little time. Once at the grave, Thor set aside a shovel and picked the other one up. He started digging.

  
  
**Back at the London Sanctum**

Zaaroc told Aroa everything Thor had told him this morning. Aroa paced the length of her study. “This is good progress Zaaroc. But a lot of your plan hinges on Odin bending to your will. You do realize it can’t be that easy. I agree that we need to bring Loki back but after that….are you sure Freyr will succeed? What if Odin does not succumb to the coma like you expect him to?” 

Zaaroc sighed from his spot against the wall, “The risk is always there. But like I said Odin is weak right now. We need to strike while the iron is still hot. This is our chance to change things for the better. We have to take the risk. You tell me, I know you have the time stone. I know you use it to peer in the future. Do you want to let Odin continue to have control like he does now?”

Aroa stopped pacing and sighed. She had seen what letting Odin sit on the throne would bring. He would do nothing to stop the real threat looming over the nine realms. Aroa’s life was coming towards its end. Her successor would soon be incharge of all this. He will have to fight battles that even Aroa shuddered to think of. He needed strong allies. Allies that thought of others. Allies who would not hesitate to lay down their lives for the good of the universe. Odin had to be removed. They had no choice. There were other paths of course. But they were covered with the blood of many. Aroa wanted to avoid as much loss of life as possible. It was her duty as Sorcerer Supreme to pursue the best path for the people of this universe.

Aroa looked at Zaaroc. Zaaorc who didn’t exist in so many realities. But he did exist in this one. And he was a true friend. He came to her because he trusted her. Aroa had to trust him in return. “Very well. We’ll do this your way. But allow me add my knowledge to the potion Freyr wants to use on Odin.”

Zaaroc nodded, “Of course. The more we improve it the better. Now what was it about bringing other people here? Are you saying you can open portals to the other realms without the secret paths in place. That’s too much for you Aroa. It could hurt you. Unless…” Zaaroc trailed off.

Unless Aroa was drawing power from another dimension she could not just open portals wherever she wanted. Especially ones that led to other realms. Zaaroc looked at Aroa with his third eye and gasped. 

Aroa stepped forward, “Zaaroc...I can explain.”

Zaaroc stepped forward, “Explain? You….you know how dangerous it is. This thing you are doing. Do you know who rules that dimension? Aroa...how could you?”

Aroa looked down, “I had no choice. Agamotto did the same, you know. This was how he extended his life. He had to. He was waiting for me to be born. And I am waiting for my successor. I no it’s not ideal. But I had to…”

Zaaroc pursed his lips. He wanted to argue. But Aroa knew the consequences of her actions. She had fulfilled her duty well. Who was Zaaroc to question her methods? He let it go. For now. “Fine..just...we don’t have time for this discussion….let’s just leave it for now.”

Zaaroc composed himself. “I need Queen Fabauti and Jarnsaxa here. They are in Jotunheim. If I share my memory of a spot there would you be able to open a portal and bring them here?”

Aroa nodded, “Yes. I just need a very detailed memory and I can open the portal.”

Zaaroc nodded and sat on one of the chairs by the desk in the study. “Alright. Well I need to bring Freyr and Farbauti up to speed. I’ll do that now and then once Thor is back, we can all converge in the room you talked about.”

Aroa nodded. Zaaroc closed his eyes and let his mind drift.

**Warehouse, London, Midgard.**

Jane looked at the portal Wong was holding open anxiously. It had been fifteen minutes since Thor went through it. She could see Wong struggling to keep the portal open. Her tripods were going haywire with all the data. Between all this magic, Jane had enough data for two lifetimes and they hadn’t even gotten to the part where they brought Loki back.

Jane still didn’t completely understand how they were going to do that. She belatedly realized that maybe she should have gone with Thor to help speed up the process of digging Loki’s body up. Just as Jane was about to say that she was going after Thor, she saw him through the portal. He was carrying what assumed was Loki’s body over his shoulder. Thor stepped through the portal and Wong let go of it. Sighing in relief.

Wong rolled his shoulders to remove the pain and looked at Thor. “Ok. We can go back to the sanctum now.” Thor nodded. Jane collected her tripods carrying them with both arms. Wong opened another portal. This time to another room in the sanctum. Thor and Jane stepped through, Wong closed it behind them. 

They were now in a large circular room made entirely of marble. Jane couldn’t see any door leading out of the room. There was a mattress on the floor, in the center and Sol was in one corner looking at some books and then at the walls of the room nodding to himself. He looked up when he saw them.

“Ah. Thor you have returned. Good. Put Loki’s body on the mattress. I was making sure all the wards in the room are working as expected.”

Thor nodded and gently lowered Loki’s body on the mattress. Jane saw that Loki’s skin was blue with markings all over his face. Thor removed the locket, Aroa had given him and held it out towards Sol. “Here. The Ancient One gave me this, so that Heimdall or Odin did not see me while I dug up Loki’s body”. 

He caught Jane looking at Loki. “Ah. Yes. It seems after his death Loki’s body slowly reverted back to its true form. He is a Jotun after all.”

Jane nodded dumbly. Thor had said that the Jotun had blue skin but this was the first time Jane was seeing it. Loki really looked like an alien now. 

Before Jane could comment on it, a portal opened in front of them. Aroa and Zaaroc stepped through it. Zaaroc eyes were immediately drawn to Loki. Jane remembered that Zaaroc had not seen Loki’s body even once after his death.

Aroa stepped forward and made a motion. Another mattress appeared beside the one Loki was on. “We are almost ready. Zaaroc has talked to Freyr and Farbauti together. I can bring Farbauti and Jarnsaxa here at the same time. I will send Zaaroc to Freyr to collect the antidote he needs first. In the meanwhile I suggest you inform Loki and Hela that we are almost ready. We can begin with the hour itself. I don’t want to wait for the night”

Thor nodded. He removed his shoes and sat crossed legged on the second mattress. Zaaroc stopped staring at Loki and looked up too. 

“I agree. The sooner we are done the better. Hela said they are ready with everything. I do need a feel of Jarnsaxa’s sedir so that Hela can communicate with her. I suggest you fetch Jarnsaxa and Farbauti first so I have to contact Loki only once. The dreamscape is draining for him.”, Thor removed his jacket as well and rolled it, keeping it beside the mattress.

Jane stepped away from the group to set aside her equipment. She didn’t need it anymore. Aroa nodded. She turned to Sol, “Master Sol if you are done here. Please go back up and watch the sanctum. I am going to seal the room once Farbauti and Jarnsaxa are here. We will see you only after the ritual is complete.”

Sol nodded, “As you command. I have double checked the wards and they are intact. Nothing should be able to pass through them. I will take your leave now.”

Sol nodded to them and left via portal. Aroa turned to Wong. “Wong. Loki died from a wound to his heart. It was a poisoned blade. Zaaroc will get the antidote from Freyr. The soul bond should technically heal him. But I need your expertise in case it doesn’t. Jarnsaxa is also a skilled healer. Assist her however you can.”

Wong nodded and stepped in the corner beside Jane. Aroa moved to an empty spot and made the same circular motion. Once again the portal was gold and blue. An icy wind blew into the room through the portal. It was so cold that the room’s temperature dropped immediately and Jane shivered. Aroa made another motion and the portal grew larger. From it stepped two women. The portal closed behind them.

Jane was sure she was staring. But she couldn’t help it. The women were tall. As tall as Thor if not taller. One had white hair and the other had vibrant red hair. They were wearing leather tunics and trousers that left their arms bare and wore no shoes. From her spot Jane could see marks on their forearms and the backs of their hands. Jane could only see the profile of their faces but she could tell they had marks there as well.

Zaaroc bowed to the woman with white hair. “Queen Farbauti” He turned to the woman with red and tilted his head at her. “High Priestess Jarnsaxa. Welcome.” Zaaroc pointed to Aroa, “This is Aroa, the foremost sedir user of Midgard.” He pointed in Jane and Wong’s direction. “This is her companion Wong and that is Dr. Jane Foster our friend.”

Jane fought to control her expression as the women turned to look at them. Red. Was all Jane could think. Their eyes are red. Thor had told her and she had seen the picture of Bestla but it was something else to see in real life. Jane could only stare back until Farbauti and Jarnsaxa looked away.

Farbauti looked around the room she was in. It had powerful wards she could sense them. The bald woman was a powerful witch. Farbauti could see the sedir flowing through her. The woman’s companion was powerful too but in a quieter way. The human woman Farbauti had no idea about. But she let it go for now. What caught her attention was the body in the middle of the room. Her son

Thor watched as Farbauti saw Loki’s body. She bent down and stroked Loki’s hair. She traced the lines on his face. Thor could see the tears glistening in her eyes. She looked at Thor. “Promise me you will do your best. Promise me you will bring him back.”

Thor nodded, “I promise. I will do everything in my power. I will bring Loki back.” Farbauti nodded and looked at Zaaroc. “Alright. What do you want us to do?”

Zaaroc looked at Aroa. Aroa stepped forward and waved her hand. A table with various bottles appeared in one corner. “The process is simple. I will help Thor make a deeper bond with Loki. Before that Zaaroc is going to fetch the antidote from Freyr and Thor needs to get a feel for Jarnsaxa’s sedir so that he can communicate it to Loki who will communicate it to Hela. You, Jane, Wong and Zaaroc will be here while I, Thor and Jarnsaxa will be in the dreamscape. I have all the healing potions and antidotes here with me. Once Zaaroc is back, I will seal the room, so no one can enter or leave.”

Farbauti nodded and looked at Jarnsaxa. Jarnsaxa bent down to be at Thor’s level and held out her hand. Thor looked at it for a moment, but then took it. They both closed their eyes and bent their heads. Jane wanted to grab her equipment. But she didn’t want to disturb the process. After some time, they both looked up again. Thor nodded and Jarnsaxa pulled her hand back.

Thor looked at Zaaroc. “Alright. I am ready. I will contact Loki and relay this to him. You go and get that antidote.”

Zaaroc nodded. Aroa opened another gold blue portal and Zaaroc disappeared through it. Thor went to lay down on the mattress fully. Aroa grabbed a yellowish potion from the table and gave it to Thor. “To dull the pain. Trust me you will need it. Don’t think just gulp it down.” 

Thor nodded and took the vial, drinking it in one go. He winced at the taste. Now he felt numb all over. Thor laid down on the mattress, crossing his arms over his stomach and closed his eyes. His breathing slowed. Jane could tell he was in the dreamscape now. Jarnsaxa sat down cross legged beside Loki’s body. Farbauti stood behind her. Wong moved to stand beside Thor.

Aroa looked at Jane. “Jane. When the ritual is done there might be a release of sedir. I am not sure you can withstand it.” Aroa pulled another locket from her robes and walked up to Jane. She handed it to her. “Here wear this. It is a shield. It should protect you from any feedback or residue.” Jane nodded and took the locket wearing it. She backed into the wall and decided to sit down as well.

Aroa tilted her head as if she heard something and then made a motion to open a portal. Zaaroc came through, holding a vial of green-blue liquid in his hand. “Alright I have the antidote. We are ready” Zaaroc went to sit in between Loki and Thor. Aroa nodded to Jane and sat on Thor’s other side. Waiting for him to return.

After some time, Thor gasped awake as he usually did. He looked around and saw Zaaroc. He turned and saw Aroa on his other side. “Alright. I have relayed the information on Jarnasaxa’s sedir to Loki. He says they are ready”

Aroa nodded, “Good. We are ready as well.” She made a complicated motion with her hands and Jane saw a shimmery golden wall made of various symbols appear briefly before disappearing. “The room is sealed and will open only once the ritual is complete.”

Jarnsaxa was suddenly holding a curved ice blade. She took Loki’s right hand. Aroa summoned a silver dagger and took Thor’s left hand, the one with the ring. She looked at Thor one last time. “I have to ask for my peace of mind. Are you sure?”

Thor nodded and pushed his hand towards the blade. “Yes. Do it.”

Aroa nodded. She took Thor’s hand and carved the infinity symbol on his palm. At the same time Jarnsaxa did the same on Loki’s right hand. Aroa murmured something too low for Jane to hear. Jarnsaxa did the same. She brought Loki’s hand close to Thor's, the symbol facing upwards. Thor reached out his own hand and grasped Loki’s so that their symbols touched. The ring glowed and began to melt. It became a thin string that wrapped around Thor and Loki’s hand.

Thor and Loki’s hands glowed. Bright blue veins climbed up Loki’s arm disappearing underneath his tunic and bright green veins climbed up Thor’s arms all the way up to his face. Thor closed his eyes and bit his lip hard. Jane saw more blood flow from their combined hands. Aroa and Jarnsaxa closed their eyes too.

**Thor and Loki’s Shared Dreamscape.**

Thor was again in a dark room. He could feel his bond to Loki. It was strained. Something was pulling it. Thor’s hand ached. He looked at it to see the infinity symbol glowing on his palm. It hurt. There were veins coming from the symbol. They felt like ropes, one of them felt like it was pushing into his heart. Thor clutched his chest in pain. Another vein went to his mind and mixed with the thread of the mental link there. The pain was excruciating. It felt like someone was carving space inside Thor’s mind. 

Thor went down on his knees. He couldn’t tell what to do. Thor felt immense pain in his heart and his head. He clutched them both. His shirt was bloody from where he had tried to claw it off. Thor tried to think. He should be able to feel Loki at the other end of the link. Thor struggled. He had to do this. He had to let the magic carve a space for Loki. Thor grit his teeth. It was hard. Every instinct screamed at him to claw this thing out. To cut off his hand and stop the pain. But Thor fought it. He had to hold on. The symbol on his hand flared and the veins increased in size. Thor screamed unable to hold it back as he felt a piece of him tear off. He felt an echo of another scream inside his mind. He felt a distant pain. Also like an echo. Like it was someone else’s. 

This was it! Thor fought the double barrage of pain and felt for the bond. To his surprise it no longer came from just his mind but also his heart. He could feel it now. A faint line between himself and Loki. Thor mentally clutched it. Emotions exploded in his head. Fear, pain, love all mixed in one big ball. Thor did not let go. If he did he would lose Loki forever. Thor could feel it.There was something pulling at the other end. Pulling Loki. Trying to take him away. A dark presence.

No! Thor wasn’t going to let go! Thor dug his feet in the ground and pulled with all his might. The symbol glowed brighter. Thor opened his eyes. Now he could actually see the thread much like he had when he first found out about the mental link. It slowly appeared. A bright blue green thread that was much thicker than before more like a rope. Thor grabbed it and pulled. He could feel resistance but he kept pulling.

 _‘Thor’_ It was Loki! Thor could hear him inside his mind! _‘Loki! Don’t let go!’_

_‘It’s so peaceful Thor. So quiet. No problems. No heartache. I feel like I am floating. I feel free. No one hates me now. I think I am going to close my eyes….’_

No! Loki was giving into the Void! Thor could feel their newly formed bond weakening. Thor was not going to let it happen! Thor sent all the love he felt for Loki over the bond. _‘Don’t you dare Loki! Don’t you dare leave me! I don’t hate you! I never did. I have always loved you! Please don’t let go!’_

Thor felt Loki jolt. _‘Thor? All this love…..all of it...for me? Truly?’_ Thor felt Loki’s uncertainty. That idiot!

_‘Of course it is for you! Do you see any other brothers here that I am tying my soul to? Come on Loki don’t give up. We are so close. The Void is tricking you. It's a trap. Trust me. Please’_

For a moment it looked like Loki wasn’t going to listen. But then Thor felt their bond strengthen again. _‘Yes! That’s it Loki! Come here. Come to me’_

Thor found it easier to pull the rope now that Loki was co-operating again. After what felt like an eternity, Thor thought he could sense Loki getting closer. The Void tried to grip Loki again but Thor was prepared. He reached deep down in his core and sent lightning over the bond. It didn’t hurt Loki but shocked the dark presence of the void off. Now it was even easier to pull.

Thor felt another presence. He recognized it was Jarnsaxa. She was trying to enter their dreamscape but it was no longer possible because of the soul bond. _‘You are very nearly there Prince Thor. I can see Prince Loki’s soul now. But you need to return from the dreamscape. Let Prince Loki’s soul in. Let it settle in your body. Then I will pull it from there and tie it back to it’s own body’_

Thor nodded. He kept pulling. He could hear footsteps now. In a little while Loki was suddenly in front of him. He was in his Jotun form. It was like Thor was seeing him for the first time. He blinked. He could feel a jumble of emotions. He couldn’t tell which one was his and which one was Loki’s.

Loki was staring at him wide eyed too. His hand twitched and Thot felt it. It was strange and familiar at the same time. Thor shook his head to regain his bearings. They were not done yet. Thor felt for the bond in the back of his mind. Loki gasped but Thor ignored it, grabbing his hand instead. Thor could feel his body back on Midgard. Thor mentally went in the direction, pulling Loki with him.

TBC...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it felt like things moved too fast but we have been building up to this for a while. The soul bonding looked so easy for Thor and Loki because they love each other very much which made it easy.


	27. Resurrection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally a big win for our heroes....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it for all the chapters I wrote in practically one sitting.....That said one piece of the plot is over. Loki and Thor are bonded. Now we can move forward....

Jarnsaxa opened her eyes and watched fascinated as Thor and Loki’s sedir mixed together. The room was cold now. Not for a Jotun of course. But she could hear the human woman’s teeth chatter. If the human mages felt the cold, they did not show it. Jarnsaxa liked Wong. His sedir was like a Lake. Still and calm. It helped her ground herself as Thor’s more chaotic sedir manifested itself. Thor twisted on his mattress but did not let go of Loki’s hand. He was struggling Jarnsaxa could tell. But he held on.

Farbauti stiffened as sparks started coming out ofThor and Loki’s joined hands. Jarnsaxa focused on Loki. She felt around for a thread. She could not see it but she could feel the place where Loki’s life had been cut off. Jarnsaxa also felt another presence nudge her mind. It must be Hela. It was time. Jarnsaxa focused on Thor. He had settled somewhat and Jarnsaxa could tell the initial bond was formed. She gently nudged Thor’s mind. She was blocked as expected but she still mentally communicated what Thor needed to do. 

Jarnsaxa turned back towards Hela’s presence and let it in. She opened her eyes to find herself in her mother’s garden. Her favourite place from when she was child. It had been lost in the war. Jarnsaxa saw a strange forest connected to the garden. She walked up to it and saw Hela. There was a transparent wall separating them. Hela was holding a paper in her hand.

_‘Hello. I’m afraid we will have to do it like this. I can’t cross over.’_ Jarnsaxa nodded at Hela and conjured her own paper.

_‘I understand. What must I do?’ I can sense the place from which Loki’s soul had been cut off but I have no idea what ‘tying’ it back means.’_

Hela nodded, _‘If you can sense the spot from where the connection was broken, then half the battle is won. Loki’s soul will have a thread of it’s own hanging loose. Be careful don’t mistake the bond for the thread tied to Loki’s body. You do not need to actually tie the thread back just nudge it to the spot where you found the severed thread in Loki’s body. The soul should recognize the broken connection. Then all you have to do is give it power. A big amount. The body will absorb it and tie itself back to the soul. The power we give is to allow the broken thread in the body sentience for a short time so that it connects back to the soul. I hope you understand. It has been some time since I separated Loki from Helheim, so hurry. Don’t let his soul drift or stay in some other body for too long.’_

Jarnsaxa nodded, _‘Understood. Thank you, Your Grace’_

If Hela was surprised at being referred to properly, she didn’t show it. She only smiled. Jarnsaxa closed her eyes and went back to the real world.

Aroa could see Thor coming back to his body. She kept an eye on the wards and spells making sure they were not broken. It was a close call. Thor and Loki’s combined sedir nearly broke past them. But thankfully that extra sealing spell helped and the wards withstood the sedir feedback. Aroa had seen a couple of soul bonds over the centuries, but Loki and Thor seemed to bond deeply. They must both love each other truly if the initial bond was so strong. That was rare. For a bond to be so strong in the initial stages was rare. This was good.

Aroa sensed Thor was returning to his body. The glow of Thor and Loki’s sedir dimmed a little. The room became warmer. She could feel another soul following Thor. Loki. He was here. It had worked! Aroa looked at Jarnsaxa just as she returned back from the dreamscape. She motioned to Wong. Farbauti knelt down as well, feeling the change in the air.

Wong and Zaaroc made quick work of Loki’s tunic, opening it to expose the wound. It was a big gash that went through and through. Aroa could see faint black veins around the wound. Zaaroc saw it too and uncapped the vial of antidote. Wong and Farbauti held their hands over the wound, ready to cast a healing spell the minute Loki was back in his body.

Aroa could feel Loki’s soul settle in Thor’s body. But it was a tight fit. Jarnsaxa sensed it too. She came beside Aroa and closed her eyes. Aroa could see her reach out to Thor/Loki and call on Loki. Aroa felt his soul come up. Even in her mind’s eye she could only see a faint outline of where Loki’s soul was. How Jarnsaxa could sense it was a miracle.

Jarnsaxa sensed the bond between Thor and Loki. She knew she couldn’t see Loki’s soul. So she nudged the bond looking for him. Loki responded. Now came the hard part. All Jarnsaxa could sense was the bond. It’s thread was thick and dominated the sense but she needed the other thread. She could feel Loki’s soul float out of Thor’s body. Jarnsaxa felt a wave of panic. But she forced herself to remain calm. She could do this. She closed all other senses. She stopped thinking so hard and trusted her instinct. After some time, she could sense it a faint wispy thread a little ways away from the thread of the bond. 

This was it! Jarnsaxa gripped it as hard as she could mentally and drew it over to Loki’s body. Finding the spot where Loki’s body had the matching thread was easy. She sent the biggest surge of power she could muster to that thread. It sparked and the thread in Jarnsaxa’s grip reached for it. She let it go. Jarnsaxa sent another surge of power to the spot, nearly draining herself. But it worked! The two ends joined and became one. Jarnsaxa opened her eyes with a big smile on her face.

Loki felt odd. First Hela had cut his connection to Helheim and Loki had floated for what seemed like an eternity. Then the pain had started. His mental link to Thor hurt. It was like something was trying to force itself inside his mind and heart. Loki had resisted at first. But then he realized it was Thor. A part of Thor. Then Loki had let it in. It had caused another barrage of pain. But this pain was echoed like it was some else’s and his at the same time.

Then Loki had felt that presence. It was sweet and melodious. So much better than this searing pain. It cooed at Loki. It wanted him to come towards it. It promised to set Loki free. It promised that Loki would never feel pain again. That Loki could sleep in peace. Loki almost gave into it. He told Thor he was going to sleep. Just for a little while. But Thor had held on. Then Loki felt it. Love. So much love. Like a river. Deep and flowing always. For **him.** That surprised Loki. Thor felt so much love for him? Thor wanted Loki back. Thor pleaded with Loki to trust him. How could he say no? How could he deny Thor?

So, he went towards Thor. Away from the other presence. It didn’t like that. Whatever it was. It tried to pull Loki with it. But Thor sent his power over the bond. Loki had expected it to hurt but to him it felt like a caress. It hurt that thing though whatever it was. It sent it away and Loki found himself standing before Thor. Loki could feel everything. His emotions were a jumble. He couldn’t tell where he started and Thor ended. He could see Thor’s sedir. It was so welcoming. Loki wanted to reach out with his own sedir and twine it with Thor’s. His hand twitched. Thor reacted as if he felt it too. Then he tilted his head as if listening to something. Loki was too busy staring to ask him what he was listening to.

Then Thor grabbed the bond. Loki gasped as he felt like Thor was reaching into his body and touching his heart. Thor ignored him and grabbed his hand. Thor turned and headed off somewhere. Loki didn’t care where. His mind was occupied by how good it felt to have Thor hold his hand. Loki felt himself be pulled to a different plane of existence. He opened his eyes but couldn’t see anything. He could feel he was in a body. But it felt wrong in a way. Like it was the wrong body. He could feel all the limbs but couldn't control them. It was also suffocating like there wasn’t enough space for Loki.

Loki was going to attempt to use his sedir to assess where he was when he felt a presence nudge his and Thor’s bond. It was asking for Loki. Curious Loki responded. The presence coaxed him out of the claustrophobic body and now Loki felt light like he could float away. The bond was also silent. But the presence was looking for something. Loki felt uncomfortable. But then he felt a thread in his mind that he had never felt before. The presence gripped the thread and pulled. Loki was pulled with it. He felt another thread. This one was somehow far away. The thread the presence had gripped reached out for this new thread and as soon as they touched Loki felt like he was returning home. Loki let himself be pulled. Loki felt himself sink into a new body. But this one felt familiar. It was his body Loki realized. He felt the bond settle in the spots where his brain and heart were.

Loki felt someone pressing on his chest. His heart jolted, then began running again. Loki could feel someone trying to feed him something. He opened his mouth and a bitter liquid flowed in. Loki tried to spit it out, but a hand forced him to swallow it. As soon as he did, he felt a healing spell wash over him. He felt strength return to his limbs. Loki’s eyes moved beneath his eyelids. With great effort he opened his eyes to see Zaaroc’s upside down face smiling at him.

“There he is!” Zaaroc exclaimed. Loki winced at volume. Zaaroc frowned. “Sorry. I just...I can’t tell you how happy I am to see you” Zaaroc whispered this time.

Loki turned to his head to his left and saw two Jotun women beside him. One had red hair and was smiling. The other had white hair and was crying. There was also a man in red robes with a frown on his face, staring at Loki’s chest. Loki frowned and looked down to see his tunic was open and his skin was blue. The wound the Kursed had given him was a scar now. It will be gone by tomorrow. Loki blinked and thought of tying his tunic back up. To his surprise his sedir flared at the thought and Loki’s tunic was tied. He also heard a groan from his other side. Loki turned his head to see Thor roll on his side facing Loki. His eyes were still closed and his brow was furrowed. There was a bald woman in yellow robes leaning over him. Loki realized he was holding Thor’s hand.

The bald woman was a witch. Loki could smell her sedir. It was as if his own power had grown exponentially. Loki could feel the sedir of everyone around him. Zaaroc’s was like a deep forest. The Jotun woman with the white hair was like a freezing icy wind. The one with red hair was like the ice so cold that it burned. The man in the red robes felt like a still, quiet lake. Loki turned his attention back to Thor. His sedir almost called out to Loki. It felt like rain after a long drought. Like waking up on a summer morning to dew. Loki was drawn to it like a moth to flame.

Zaaroc smiled at Loki, unable to help himself. He had been worried for a while as Jarnsaxa said Loki’s soul was back in his body but he was still not breathing. Jane suggested that he might need CPR to restart his heart. It had worked. Loki’s heart had started pumping. Zaaroc had to be quick and give him the antidote before the poison spread through his bloodstream. Wong had administered a strong healing spell at the same time to help heal the wound. Loki’s natural healing took over from there and now he seemed to be fine.

Farbauti was crying, clearly overwhelmed. Loki was looking at everyone obviously confused. Zaaroc felt the flare of Loki’s sedir and his tunic was tied back. Thor groaned and rolled on his side to face Loki in response. Loki looked at them all again and Zaaroc could tell he was assessing their sedir. He had reverted back to his Aesir form probably without realizing it. Loki looked back at Thor and Zaaroc felt their combined sedir flare.

“Oh no! don’t do that again. Please.” Zaaroc put his hand on top of Thor and Loki’s joined hands. Thor grunted in response and Loki frowned at him clearly upset. “Please. You need to rest. The combined force of your’s and Thor’s sedir nearly broke past the wards last time. Not to mention poor Jane almost froze to death. Let’s wait a little before we experiment.”

Loki’s frown deepened before he lifted his head a little to see Jane who was still by the wall. She was no longer sitting but seemed wary of coming closer. Loki laid his head back down. The simple motion seemed to have exhausted him. Aroa spoke up from beside Thor. “You need to rest. The bond is settled and healthy. I can sense your soul has settled too. Thor is fine too, just tired. He did just carve out a piece of his soul. He should be awake by morning. I have rooms here you can use.” Loki narrowed his eyes at her. Aroa didn’t mind that she looked at Zaaroc. “You will have to help them move. I can create a portal to a room with a double bed directly.”

Zaaroc nodded. He tried to pry Loki’s hand from Thor’s but Loki growled at him and Zaaroc felt his sedir flared again. Zaaroc backed off, “Ok. Ok. Fine. But we need to move you. You can’t sleep here you know.”

Loki frowned and looked around. Zaaroc jumped out of the way just in time as a huge four poster bed appeared in the middle of the room. Loki snuggled on the bed, looking satisfied. Farbauti laughed. Jane and Jarnsaxa sniggered and even Wong smiled. Aroa looked amused. Zaaroc narrowed his eyes at Loki, “Brat.” Loki simply stuck his tongue out at Zaaroc.

Zaaroc shook his head. “Well I guess you can stay here if you want. There is no door here though. So whenever you want to get out, call for us.” Zaaroc looked at Aroa for confirmation and she nodded. 

She stepped up to the bed, “Indeed. Just call for Zaaroc and I will hear it. It is good to see you Prince Loki. Rest. You and yours are safe here. No one will harm you.” Loki was still wary of Aroa but he nodded anyway. Aroa nodded back and made a motion to undo the sealing spell. Loki looked around watching it with interest. 

Jane picked up her equipment and stepped up to the bed. She couldn’t believe just an hour ago the Loki before her had been a dead body. He was moving now. He hadn’t spoken yet though, so Jane was still a little worried. She set her equipment down and looked at Loki till she caught his attention. Then Jane pinched his cheek. Hard. “Ow!” Loki looked at Jane like she was crazy and Thor twitched from beside him. Jane stepped back satisfied. She shrugged, “Sorry. Just checking you didn’t turn out like the Creeds’ pet cat in Pet Sematary” Jane picked up her equipment and turned around while Loki tried to murder her with his eyes. 

Farbauti looked like she wanted to say something. But Loki's eyes were dropping. He was tired. Farbauti decided to wait till her son was properly awake. Just seeing him here, alive, was more than Farbauti could have hoped for. She could wait to talk to him a little longer. 

Aroa made a portal and everyone filed out of the room through it. Loki watched them with interest till the portal closed. He assessed the wards on the room himself, then turned his attention to Thor. Loki removed his hand from Thor’s and moved his fingers cleaning the blood from both their hands with a thought. He turned on his side and shuffled closer to Thor till he was nose to nose with him. Loki conjured a blanket for them both. Thor’s sedir had settled down but it still called to Loki. The bond hummed pleasantly in the back of Loki’s mind. Somewhere in his mind, Loki knew he was behaving very non-brotherly but the hum of the bond, the call of Thor’s sedir and his presence beside Loki, dulled that thought. Just for tonight. Loki will behave properly from tomorrow. He had just come back to life, he was allowed a little leeway. Loki snuggled more on the bed, satisfied with his reasoning and closed his eyes, letting Thor’s quiet snores lull his to sleep.

TBC…..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it feels like Hela could have just told her piece to Loki who could have passed it on but she was needed if things went wrong. That they did not is a credit to Jarnsaxa. But we needed Hela to have a way to communicate at a moment's notice if something did indeed go wrong.


	28. A New Beginning (part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New beginnings and old emotions....

Thor sighed and wrapped his arms around the body beside him. He couldn’t recall what he had been doing last night, but this was nice. Thor felt like he was floating. There was a pleasant hum in his mind. Thor shuffled closer to the body next to him breathing in the scent of whoever it was. It had been a long time since someone had slept beside Thor like this. Years. This felt nice. Thor decided to sleep in. He sank into the mattress and was about to fall back asleep when the body beside him stiffened and started moving. Thor groaned. No! He wanted to sleep. He tried to keep his eyes closed, but whoever it was, was determined and kept pulling. Frustrated Thor opened his eyes and came face to face with Loki.

Thor’s mind stopped. He was with Loki…..he had been holding Loki…...he was sleeping with Loki……Why was he sleeping with Loki? Then it all came back to him. The soul bond. The last thing Thor remembered was Jarnsaxa telling him he needed to leave the dreamscape and him pulling Loki’s soul with himself in his body. It was all blank after that. He must have missed the part where Jarnsaxa tied Loki’s soul back to his body. Thor sat up immediately and looked around.

They were still in the room without doors. But for some reason there was a huge four poster bed in the middle of the room. Thor frowned. Where did the bed come from? Loki sat up slowly beside him and Thor’s attention was immediately drawn to him. He felt nervous. No….that wasn’t Thor. The nervousness was an echo. It was Loki’s emotion. Loki was nervous. Probably because Thor was staring at him like an idiot.

Then Thor recalled Loki was supposed to have the wound from the Kursed’s blade. Thor panicked. Loki frowned at him. Thor ran his hands over Loki’s chest, trying to assess if the wound was still there. Loki needed healers immediately!

Loki squirmed away from Thor, “Thor! I’m fine. Stop it!” Loki pushed Thor’s hands away from him.

“But….the wound! Zaaroc said you would need healers!”, Thor looked around again. “Where is everybody?!! What happened?!!”

A few days ago Loki would have been annoyed, thinking Thor was just overreacting. But now he could feel Thor’s panic and concern pouring over the bond. Thor was worried about Loki. He was touched by the gesture. He put his hands on Thor’s cheeks and turned his face towards him.

“I am perfectly fine Thor. The wound is healed. I think Zaaroc even gave me some kind of healing potion. I am fine.” Loki took Thor’s hand, and put it on his chest over his heart, so that Thor could feel it beating, “See. My heart’s beating perfectly. I’m here and I am perfectly fine”

Loki could feel Thor’s relief dominate the bond. They both let out a sigh. Thor pulled his hand back and wrapped his arms around Loki, hugging him. Loki could feel the underlying happiness beneath the relief. Loki felt happy too. 

Thor buried his head in Loki’s shoulder, “I can’t tell you how happy I am to see you. I almost lost you for a moment” Thor shuddered as he recalled how Loki had almost given in to the call of the Void.

Loki shuddered too. Thor was right. He had stupidly been lured by the Void. He was fortunate that Thor had been stubborn enough to not let go of Loki so easily. He buried his face in Thor’s shoulder and basked in the comfort of his embrace. The bond was humming pleasantly again and Thor and Loki lost themselves in it.

After a moment which felt like an eternity, Thor pulled back and looked around, “But still where is everybody? And why are we on this bed? How did this bed even get here?......” Thor trailed off as he felt Loki’s embarrassment over the bond.

Loki rubbed his thumb over his palm in what Thor recognized as a nervous gesture. “Uh….the bed…...I think I was still out of it when I conjured it…..and I might have growled at Zaaroc when he tried to move us…..” Loki tried to fight the blush he could feel on his face.

Thor grinned, amused by Loki’s antics. Of course Loki conjured a bed a minute after coming back from the dead. Loki was the most gifted mage Thor had seen and he looked so cute when he blushed. Thor tamped that thought down. The bond translated emotions very well. The last thing Thor wanted was for Loki to catch Thor admiring him in a very non-brotherly way.

Loki frowned as the bond went silent for a minute. He had sensed Thor’s amusement at his embarrassment and then an emotion Loki hadn’t been able to identify poured over the bond before it went completely silent for a minute. 

Thor rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck, “Well then how do we get out of here now?”

Loki frowned at Thor. He wanted to ask about that strange emotion but he realized that was terribly rude. This bond was going to work only if Thor and Loki let each other have some privacy. He focused on Thor’s question, “Zaaroc said to call for him when we want to get out of here.”

Loki looked at the wards of the room again. His power had definitely grown. He could sense the whole place even beyond the wards. He could feel the sedir of every person in this place. Thor was looking at his hand curiously. Loki turned his attention to him to see what he was looking at.

On Thor’s left hand was the infinity symbol that Loki assumed someone had carved. It had healed and was more like a tattoo now. It was also green in color. Loki looked at both of his hands too. On his right hand was the same infinity symbol but his was blue in color. Looking at the symbol...the mark on his hand, the idea of the bond and its implications really sunk in. Thor and Loki needed to have a long conversation and set their boundaries. 

Loki’s stomach growled and Thor smiled at him. “Let’s call Zaaroc then. You need to eat. I suppose coming back to life makes a person hungry.”

Loki ducked his head in embarrassment again. But he could feel how happy Thor was so it didn’t last. Loki closed his eyes and reached out with his senses and found the signature of Zaaroc’s sedir and nudged it gently. Thor got off the bed brushing his clothes to smooth out the wrinkles and Loki did the same. He was still wearing armor and it was now uncomfortable. These were the clothes Loki had died in, he wanted to change them and he also wanted a bath.

A portal opened in one corner of the room. Loki waved his hand to make the bed disappear. Zaaroc poked his head in the room from the portal, “Ah. There you both are. I was beginning to think you were going to sleep the whole century away”

Loki rolled his eyes. “We only slept for one day. You don’t have to be such a snob about it.”

Zaaroc frowned at him, “uh….Loki you and Thor have been asleep for three days. We did the ritual on Monday. It’s Thursday today. I wanted to check on you but Aroa said you imbued your own sedir in her wards and it was probably not a good idea to poke it. Everyone was getting a little anxious to be honest.”

Thor frowned and came to stand beside Loki, “Really? It didn’t feel like that. It feels like I went to sleep just last night.”

Zaaroc stepped in the room fully, “That’s not entirely unexpected. A soul bond can be taxing. Plus Loki did just come back from the dead. You both needed the sleep to recover fully.”

Zaaroc stepped up to Loki and hugged him, “I know I said this before, but I can’t tell you how happy I am to see you.” Zaaroc pulled back and looked at Loki with a stern expression, “You ever die again and I swear I will follow you just so I can annoy you for the rest of eternity. Understood.”

Loki nodded at Zaaroc before smiling. He had forgotten how protective Zaaroc could be. Thor put a hand on Loki’s shoulder, “Don’t worry. I am not going to let this one go so easily again.”

Zaaroc nodded at Thor and Loki would have complained at being talked of like he wasn’t there but he was too happy at the moment. He let it slide. Zaaroc stepped to the side and made a sweeping motion at the portal, “Well then after you…”

Thor nodded and took Loki’s hand and stepped through the portal. They came in a large foyer with a grand staircase. The bald woman who Loki assumed was Aroa closed the portal behind them after Zaaroc stepped through it. 

“Hello. I am Aroa, the leader of the Order of Mystic Arts on Earth. This is the London Sanctum Sanctorum. Welcome Prince Loki, it’s a pleasure to see you alive.”, Aroa smiled at Loki who was looking around curiously.

Loki turned his attention to Aroa. She was a very powerful witch. Loki could sense her sedir. It was like a deep well without a bottom. He had not known Midgard had people trained in sedir. Still this woman had opened her home for Thor and Zaaroc. She had given them a safe haven. Loki could appreciate it. 

“Thank you. It is good to be alive. You don’t have to call me by my title. Just Loki is fine. I’m not even sure I can claim the title of Prince anymore.”, Loki was pretty sure Asgard did not consider him Prince anymore.

Before Thor or Zaaroc could protest another voice spoke up from behind them, “Nonsense! You were born of the royal blood of Bergelmir. You will always hold the royal title. No one can erase your ancestry no matter what”

Loki turned to see it was one of the Jotun women he had seen when he first woke up. The one with red hair. She was as tall as Thor. She walked up to them and bowed specifically to Loki. “Your Grace. I am Jarnsaxa, the high priestess of Jotunheim. You are still the Prince of Jotunheim. Whatever the Aesir say or think about you does not apply to us.”

Loki was feeling overwhelmed. Thor and Zaaroc were smiling satisfied. “Thank you Jarnsaxa. For your kind words and for everything you did that made it possible for me to be here.”

Jarnsaxa smiled at him, “It is my duty to serve the royal house of Jotunheim. I only ask one thing in return, Queen Farbauti has longed to see you her whole life. I know that it is difficult for you to think of her as your mother when you have spent your whole life believing it was Queen Frigga who bore you. But please do not shun Queen Farbauti. I ask only this that you try just a little to accept her.”

Loki nodded, “I was not going to shun her. I cannot say I will be able to think of her as my mother yet but I do want to get to know her. I want to get to know everyone I would have known if Odin hadn’t stolen me. Is she here with you? I remember seeing a woman with you when I woke up. Is that her? Is she here now?”

Loki was very nervous about meeting his birth mother. He did not consider Odin as his father so it was easy to accept Laufey in that role. It was different for Frigga. She had been Loki’s mother for centuries but that did not mean Loki was going to ignore Farbauti. He was not that cruel.

Jarnsaxa nodded, “Yes she is still here. She is with the others in the dining hall. All of us were eating when Commander Zaaroc felt your call” 

Jarnsaxa pointed to a room behind her. Loki moved towards it pulling Thor with him. They were still holding hands. Neither of them realized it. Loki pushed past the door to see a dinning hall with a long table. Various people were sitting at one edge of the table chatting and eating. They all looked up when Loki entered. 

Loki ignored the others and stared at Farbauti. He walked into the room, Thor in tow. Farbauti got up and approached them. She was a good head taller than Thor. Loki had to tilt his head back to look at her when she was close. 

Farbauti stared at her son. At the moment he was in his Aesir form. He looked very much like Laufey used to like this. Farbauti touched Loki’s forehead tracing the place where his Jotun marks were. At her touch, Loki’s form reverted back to its natural state. Farbauti couldn’t help herself. Loki looked so much like the baby she had held so long ago. Farbauti hugged her son, tears falling from her eyes. She thanked the Norns and the One Above All that they had returned her lost child to her.

Thor gently pried his hand from Loki’s and stepped away from him. Loki had closed his eyes and was hugging Farbauti back. He looked behind him at Zaaroc who nodded. Thor stepped up to the dining table sitting beside Jane, giving Loki and Farbauti some privacy. Jarnsaxa sat beside Wong and Zaaroc sat opposite her beside Thor leaving an empty chair for Loki to occupy. Aroa sat at her place at the head of the table.

Loki didn’t know how to name the emotion he was feeling. When Farbauti traced his forehead, the motion felt familiar like she had done this before, a long time ago. The hug felt familiar too. Like Farbauti’s presence had been missing and Loki hadn’t realized it.

Farbauti pulled back wiping her eyes. “I’m sorry. I haven’t even introduced myself. I am Farbauti, the Queen of Jotunheim. You can call me by my name. I know it is strange for you to think of me as your mother. That is up to you. I cannot force you to accept me. But I would like to be a part of your life...if you allow it…”

Loki blinked at Farbauti, unsure how to respond. He wasn’t ready to call her mother but he did want to get to know her. “I am Loki. I….I do want you to be a part of my life. I want to get to know you too. You and everyone on Jotunheim.”

Farbauti smiled. She was happy that Loki wanted to try and establish some relationship with Jotunheim. She had been worried that with the soul bond Loki might not want any association with Jotunheim. Loki’s stomach growled again much to his horror. Farbauti smiled wider. “You must be hungry. Come let us eat. It is a good day. A day to celebrate”

Loki nodded and stepped around Farbauti. He saw the empty space beside Thor and slid in. He saw various foods spread on the table. A lot of it was unfamiliar but Loki saw some bread rolls and a jar of jam. He picked a roll and brought the jar of jam closer to him and began smearing it on the roll. Farbauti sat back on her chair and resumed eating as well.

Loki was about to bite into his roll, when he noticed Jane Foster peering around Thor, staring at him expectantly. Loki recalled her pinching his cheek. “What? What is it?”

What was up with this woman? She had been behaving strangely since Loki first saw her. Had he overestimated her intelligence? Jane shook her head, “Nothing. Go on. Eat. How does it taste? Does it taste like dirt? Do you want meat instead?”

Loki scrunched his nose in confusion, while Thor started laughing. Zaaroc rolled his eyes, “Jane Loki is not a zombie. He doesn’t want raw meat. He’s not going to suddenly feel the urge to drink blood. Please stop reading all those ridiculous books. They are not an accurate depiction of people who return from the dead!”

Jarnsaxa popped a piece of muffin in her mouth, “I agree. They were quite inaccurate. I have never heard of lightning being able to bring people back from the dead. Prince Loki is in his own body. We didn't use old body parts of other people or douse him in weird potions.”

Thor was holding his stomach laughing his dumb ass off while Loki was still confused. The amusement trickling over the bond only annoyed him more. Loki kicked the buffon under the table making him fall off his chair. Unfortunately because the bond was so new, Loki felt the pain too and clutched his leg. “Ow!”

Thor looked up from his position on the floor and smirked at Loki, “I am really liking this bond thing. It’s the best idea I ever had!” Thor slid back in his chair all smug. Loki thought maybe Jane’s theory had some merit. He felt like carving Thor up right now. 

Thor winced at Loki’s annoyance pouring over the bond. He noticed a plate of pancakes and decided it was best to distract Loki before he decided to stab Thor. “Look! Have you ever tried this? The humans call it ‘pancakes’. They are light and fluffy and sweet!”

Thor held the plate of pancakes under Loki’s nose. Loki looked at the food suspiciously. He took the plate from Thor and cut a piece of the ‘pancake’, chewing it slowly. It was good. Loki narrowed his eyes at Thor who was looking at him with his most innocent expression. Loki let it go, only because he liked these pancakes. He could stab Thor some other time. He was hungry.

Now that he was eating Loki found that he was ravenous. He finished the entire plate of pancakes and the bread rolls and he was still hungry. Thor pushed a plate of sausages towards him, probably trying to get Loki to eat some protein. Loki didn’t mind. He had missed Thor mother henning over him.

The people around them chatted among themselves. It was mostly Loki and Thor who ate. The others were done and were just chatting. Zaaroc poured Loki some tea after making sure it was not too hot. Loki noted that Farbauti preferred the sweet dishes over the savory ones like Loki. He idly wondered if he had inherited the sweet tooth from her. After eating what felt like a ton of food, Loki finally felt full and pushed his plate away. Thor was eating the last of his eggs. 

Aroa cleared her throat to catch the attention of everyone on the table. “Now that we are all settled. Let’s plan ahead.” She looked at Thor and Loki, “How do you both feel? Any problems with the bond?”

Loki closed his eyes and reached out for the bond, feeling it, checking it. Thor did the same. Loki opened his eyes and shook his head, “No. Everything is as expected. There are no problems with the bond.” Thor nodded in agreement with Loki.

Aroa smiled, “Good. The bond is settled, but it is still very new. It needs some time to strengthen. Zaaroc has already informed Freyr that we were successful in bringing you back. There are rooms in the sanctum and you are welcome to pick one of them and stay as long as you want. I will have to return to the main base of the Order of Mystic Arts. I need to check on all our operations. Zaaroc also has a house arranged here if you wish to stay there instead.”

Aroa turned to Farbauti, “When would you like to return Your Grace? I will have to be there to open a portal”

Farbauti looked at Loki for a moment, before turning her gaze to Aroa. “I will return promptly. The wards and illusions have to be renewed constantly to ensure that Heimdall cannot see into Jotunheim. I also need to inform my council of Loki’s return.”

Aroa nodded, “Very well. I shall open a portal for you before I take my leave. Master Sol is on an errand and will be back by afternoon. Wong will also be returning back home. He has to watch over the Sanctum in New York.”

Zaaroc spoke up, “I talked to Freyr. He was very happy. He thinks we should wait for a week before we move on with the next part of the plan. The sooner Odin is put under and Thor takes over, the better.”

There was a murmur of agreement around the table. Loki agreed that they needed to be done with Odin as soon as possible. He also had to think what form he would take when the time came for them to shift to Asgard. It had to be well crafted so no one even suspected that it was Loki. He also had to give it a name and history. There was so much to do. 

Thor nodded, “Yes. I think we need to talk to Freyr once. I think we will head back to the house Zaaroc rented…...” Thor looked at Loki for his opinion and Loki nodded in agreement. The sanctum was nice but Loki would feel better in a place where he could set wards with his own sedir.

Thor nodded, “Yes. We will head back. Loki needs things, clothes being the foremost among them. If we need anything Zaaroc will reach out to you. Thank you so much for all your help. It would not have been possible to have Loki here without all of you.”

Aroa smiled and even Wong looked pleased, “It was not too much for us Prince Thor. We live in the nine realms. We are a part of it. We want what’s best for it. All we ask is that you set right all that Odin has spoiled.”

Thor nodded, “I will. We will. Odin has to answer for everything he has done. He will not escape justice.”

Outwardly Thor looked stoic and determined. But Loki could feel the jumble of emotions that bubbled up at Odin’s name. Loki put his hand on top of Thor’s and sent as much reassurance as he could over the bond. Thor turned his hand and twined their fingers squeezing Loki’s hand and sending a ball of thanks at him over the bond. 

Farbauti got up, “Well then it is settled. I would like to leave now.” Jarnsaxa got up as well and moved towards the door. Farbauti came around the table and Loki got up to face her. He looked at her for a moment before hugging her for a few seconds. Farbauti looked surprised by the gesture. “I shall see you soon. We can talk through dreams anytime you want and I also know a spell to send letters without drawing Heimdall or Odin’s attention. I will write to you”

Farbauti looked speechless but nodded and traced Loki’s features one more time before heading for the door. Aroa followed them waving at Wong. Loki felt the flare of sedir as Aroa sent Farbauti and Jarnsaxa back and left herself. Wong who had been quiet till now looked at them, “I will wait for Master Sol to return before going back to the New York Sanctum. Dr. Foster your equipment is in the study with Thor’s jacket and shoes. I can create a portal inside the house you have rented to save time. It is probably best not to go outside while dressed like that. It will draw attention.”, Wong pointed at Loki’s armor.

Loki frowned at it. He cast a small illusion to make his armor look like a crisp black suit and also cast a dissociation spell so people wouldn’t notice his face. If Wong was impressed Loki couldn’t tell from his expression. Jane was definitely impressed. Loki could see her eyes light up. 

Zaaroc chuckled, “Yeah….that’s alright Wong. We need to buy some clothes for Loki anyways and I have illusions set up in that house, opening a portal can disturb them. It’s best if we do this the old fashioned way.”

Wong nodded and waved a hand clearing all the plates and leftover food from the table. Jane looked like she was about to ask a million questions, but Thor put a hand over her mouth, “Yes. Thank you Wong. We will leave now.” Wong nodded and left the room, Thor took his hand off Jane’s mouth.

Jane looked angry, “Why’d you do that?!! Did you see all the plates and food disappear?!! I have questions!”

Loki would have found her annoying but Thor’s amusement was rubbing off on him. Literally. Thor smiled at Jane, “Any questions you want to ask Wong you can ask to Loki or Zaaroc. Can we leave? We have to buy clothes and I want to talk to Freyr today.”

Jane looked like she was going to protest but then relented, “Fine. I guess we can leave. Can I pick clothes for Loki?” 

Loki interjected before Thor agreed, “No. Absolutely not. I don’t even need clothes. I have clothes. They are in my pocket dimension. I can just transform them to look like Midgardian clothes. I refuse to be paraded around for your amusement” 

Zaaroc, Thor and Jane all deflated. Loki looked at them in disbelief. “What is this?! Did all of you really expect we were going to go on some shopping spree?!! We have other more important things to do!”

Jane shifted in her seat, “Well….I mean….it would have been nice…..Puente Antiguo isn’t exactly the hub for shoppers. I wanted to buy some things too.” Thor and Zaaroc nodded vigorously in agreement.

Loki stood up, refusing to budge. “Well I am the one who just came back from the dead and I want a bath and then I have to work on what form I am going to use on Asgard. So you three enjoy your shopping spree. I am leaving!”

Jane perked up at the mention of Loki choosing a form. She wanted to see that. “No wait!” Loki who was at the door turned back one eyebrow raised. “I want to see that. Can I use my equipment to take readings while you change forms? Pleeeease?”

Loki pretended to think, before nodding in agreement. Jane clapped her hands, “Great! Let me get my equipment and we’ll leave” Jane got up from her chair and pushed past Loki, out the door. Loki looked at Thor and Zaaroc in triumph.

Zaaroc sighed, “That is so not fair. Fine I guess we can all go back home first. But let’s plan a night out. We should celebrate.”

Thor nodded in agreement. Loki wasn’t averse to that idea. They should celebrate. “Fine. But later. Please. Just get up”

Thor was immediately up and at Loki’s side probably having felt his discomfort. He was still in armor underneath the illusion after all. Zaaroc got up too. They all headed to the foyer where Jane was already waiting with her equipment and Thor’s jacket and shoes. Thor put his jacket on and slipped his feet in his shoes. Wong was at the door. They all filled out and Jane cheerily waved Wong goodbye to which he simply raised his eyebrows and nodded, shutting the door of the sanctum behind them.

Outside people were going about their business. Zaaroc hailed a cab and Jane did the same. Zaaroc and Jane took one cab while Thor and Loki took the other one. Loki looked at the buildings around them as they travelled to their destination. It still felt surreal to be here. After sometime they stopped in front of a house in a line of houses. Loki got out and looked at it. He could feel the wards and illusions Zaaroc had set up. 

Thor stepped up beside him, “Nice isn’t it. It belongs to a nice old lady, Mrs. Hughes. Zaaroc has a contact that rents it almost permanently from her so it can be used whenever needed. Come on.”

Thor took Loki by the hand and led him inside once Jane opened the door. Inside the house had two floors. Thor pointed to each room. The hallway, the living room, the kitchen, the two bedrooms, the bathroom. He said that upstairs also had two bedrooms and a bathroom. Thor’s room was upstairs. Loki headed upstairs pulling Thor with him.

“I guess we’ll be in the kitchen then”, Zaaroc called out after them but was ignored.

Thor took Loki to his room….their room now probably. At least he hoped so. Loki saw the books Thor had set on his bedside table. They were their mother’s books. He picked them up, sitting on the bed, fingering the pages. Thor could feel sadness over the bond. Loki looked at Thor, “Do you think she would have approved? Of this? The bond, bringing me back?”

Thor knelt before Loki and put his hands on Loki’s knees, “Yes. She would have moved all the realms till she brought you back. She loved you Loki as much as she loved me….”

Thor felt guilt pour over the bond but didn’t understand why. Maybe Loki felt guilty that he was back while their mother was still dead. He pulled Loki in a hug, comforting him. “She would have wanted this. She would want you back.”

Loki clutched Thor seeking comfort. He wanted to tell Thor it was his fault. He was the reason Frigga was dead in the first place. He had given the Kursed those directions but he couldn’t form the words, so he let Thor comfort him. Thor pulled back and brushed Loki’s hair from his face. “Come on. You wanted a bath, yes? We do not have a bathtub here but we have a shower. I’ll show you how to use it, yes?”

Loki nodded. He put the books back on the bedside table and followed Thor to the bathroom. Thor showed Loki how the various knobs worked and how to get the right temperature of water from the shower head. He pointed out the various soaps and towels and left Loki to it. 

Loki looked at himself in the mirror above the sink. His face hadn’t changed at all but Loki felt like he was a different person. Loki removed all his clothes and armor and pulled off his boots. He could remove them with a wave of his hand but this felt cathartic. He dumped all the clothes, boots and bits of armor through a pocket dimension. He would burn them later. He never wanted to see them again. 

Loki stepped under the shower and turned the knob for cold water. It felt so good. Loki washed his hair with the liquid in the bottle labelled ‘Shampoo’ and used a washcloth to rub the grime off him after pouring some of the ‘Shower Gel’ on the washcloth. Then he just stood under the water for some time letting it pour on his head. It felt like washing off his old life. 

Loki turned the water off and stepped out using a towel to dry himself and another to squeeze the water out of his hair. He wrapped the towel around his waist and stood for a moment trying to reach out to his old pocket dimensions that he used to store things. Loki was worried they were gone but thankfully they were still there.

Despite what people thought Loki did own clothes that didn’t have some shade of green. Loki picked a deep navy blue tunic and black trousers made of soft supple leather. He had absolutely no intention of going anywhere and conjured some slippers for his feet. Loki looked at himself in the mirror. His hair was going to curl as it dried but Loki didn’t mind it now. Loki hung the towels back on the rack making a note to ask Thor where to put the used towels later. 

Loki opened the door and stepped out of the bathroom, heading back to Thor’s room. The house had four bedrooms. Technically Loki could have his own room but he didn’t want to. The bond craved to be close to Thor and even without it Loki didn’t want to sleep alone. He just hoped Thor would understand. Loki found Thor trying to tidy up his room. He was smoothing out the bed sheet. There were two pillows on it instead of one now. Loki cleared his throat to gain Thor’s attention.

Thor looked up to see Loki standing in the door. He stepped in the room and turned in a circle, “Well what do you think?” Loki looked at Thor questioningly.

What did Thor think? Thor thought Loki looked beautiful just like he always did. But that would be an odd thing to say. So Thor went with teasing, “Nice. I had no idea you owned clothes that were not green.”

The effect was immediate, Loki scrunched up his nose in that adorable way of his and crossed his arms pouting, “That’s it! I’m going back to Helheim! At least Hela liked my style!” He even stamped his foot! Thor felt the irritation over the bond and couldn’t help but chuckle. He always liked teasing Loki. He was like an adorable grumpy kitten when he got irritated.

Thor walked over to Loki who was still pouting but had a small smile in the corner of his face. He hugged Loki sideways, relishing the fact that he could do this now. The bond was humming pleasantly again. “Oh fine. Don’t pout. You look great. Very alive!” Thor sniggered at his own joke.

Loki poked Thor’s side with a dagger, “I will stab you. I don’t care if it hurts me too. I’ll do it!” Loki warned. 

Thor relented. “Ok. Ok. I give up.” He backed away from Loki who vanished the dagger. Thor rolled on the balls of his feet unsure what to say for a moment.

Loki bit his lip and looked at the bed with two pillows. “So…..I was thinking…..Can I sleep here for a few days? Just until the bond is more settled…..I don’t want to sleep alone….”

Thor had been wondering how to bring that up. He nodded immediately, “Yes! Yes you can sleep here. I was going to suggest the same…..” 

Thor and Loki looked at each other awkwardly for a moment, before Loki got fed up with it. Loki walked around Thor and sat on the bed. “This is ridiculous. We can’t go on like this..”

Thor looked confused. He came and sat beside Loki, “Go on how?”

Loki turned to face Thor, “You said this bond is what we make of it right? We need to set some rules then. I don’t want either of us to feel like we are overstepping….”

Thor nodded, “Of course Loki. What do you have in mind?” Thor wasn’t sure what Loki meant by rules.

Loki bit his lip thinking. It was all a jumble. The bond was messing with his existing emotions. Loki couldn’t tell if it was him who wanted to be close to Thor or the bond craving closeness that made Loki want to be close to Thor. But to be honest it was probably Loki himself. He and Thor had been close as children. They slept in the same room, often in the same bed. That was nothing new. Odin had to order them to pick individual rooms. Loki recalled how he had trouble sleeping alone for months because he was so used to Thor being beside him when he slept. Whether or not Thor felt the same Loki didn’t know.

Thor looked at Loki’s furrowed brow and began feeling anxious. What was Loki thinking about so hard? He was the one who suggested they sleep in the same room right? Had some emotion slipped through the bond accidentally and made Loki uncomfortable? Thor hoped not. It was nice to have the acceptance of his friends and even Freyr when it came to his feelings about Loki but Thor knew it didn’t change anything. If Loki ever found out he would be disgusted. He would hate Thor and Thor couldn’t bear that. Not anymore.

Loki was brought out of his thoughts by the anxiety he could feel from Thor over the bond. Loki looked at Thor with a frown. What was Thor so anxious about? Loki cleared his throat, “Uh…..I think the bond….wants us to be in proximity most of the time….so...uh….we will probably have to share a room for the foreseeable future. And really if I am going to pretend to be your lover then I won’t be having a separate room once we go to Asgard so really it’s good practice.” 

Loki tried very hard to keep his emotions in check and remain neutral about it. “Also I think we should start working on the walls Freyr said we can set so that not all emotions flow over the bond unchecked.” 

Thor sighed in relief. For a moment he thought Loki was going to say he had felt a strange emotion over the bond. “I agree. We should work on the wall. Freyr said that it might not hold properly for the first year but it’s best to at least start working on it. And sharing a room is not a problem Loki. We used to have the same room when we were children. It’ll be just like back then.” Thor had missed living in the same space as Loki. Odin had made sure their rooms were at opposite ends of the palace. 

Loki nodded, “Is there anything you want specifically? You can give your opinion too you know. This bond affects us both.” Loki didn’t want to be that person. The one who set all the rules and boundaries in their relationship, leaving Thor feeling like he had to compromise on all accounts to keep the relationship going.

Thor shook his head, “No Loki. I agree with what you said. Don’t worry if I don’t like something I will tell you and I trust you will do the same.” Thor wanted Loki to feel comfortable sharing his thoughts and feelings. He didn’t want to repeat the mistakes he made in his younger years. The words Loki had said on the Bifrost still haunted him. He wanted Loki to know that he had always been Thor’s equal. He didn’t want Loki to feel like he was living in Thor’s shadow ever again.

Loki smiled at Thor. Thor smiled back. Their hands had inched towards each other during their conversation and they were holding hands again. The bond hummed pleasantly and Thor and Loki sighed at the feeling. It was like they were floating. They could have sat there for an eternity.

A knock on the door interrupted them. Thor and Loki turned to see Zaaroc standing in the open door. “Jane and I were wondering when you were coming back downstairs. Loki didn’t you say you were going to start crafting the form you’re going to use on Asgard? Jane has set up all of her equipment in the living room. You can work there.”

Loki blinked and realized he had been smiling dopily at Thor. Not that Thor was any better. It was the bond. Whenever they agreed on something it sent this pleasant hum that was intoxicating. Loki shook his head and got up, “Uh...yes...yes I had better start working on it. We only have a week before we are planning on going to Asgard right?”

Thor and Zaaroc nodded. Loki pursed his lips, “Right.” He turned to Thor, “I’ll be downstairs with Jane then. Oh and I did not know where to keep the used towels so I hung them back up. Sorry about that.”

Thor shrugged, “It’s fine. I forgot to tell you the laundry hamper is in my room.” Thor pointed to a jute basket behind the open door. “Just dump all the clothes there and we can wash them in the machines downstairs”

Loki nodded. Zaaroc looked at Thor, “So when do you want to talk to Freyr? Now or later? He wants to see Loki too”

Thor thought about it, “Probably at night then. I wanted to talk to you about something” Thor looked at Loki, “If you are choosing a form then I have only one input. Please choose a form **you** will be comfortable with. Don’t think about what people would say or think.”

Loki nodded and understood the implication. Thor wanted to talk to Zaaroc privately. He shrugged and left them to it. Whatever it was they would tell him when they were ready.

Loki stood at the top of the stairs and paused. He touched the railing, relishing the feel of the wood in his hands. He had made so many mistakes in his old life. The Norns had shown him mercy. They had given him a chance to be reborn. To fix all his wrongs. Loki vowed to not waste this chance. It was a new day and a new life and Loki embraced it fully.

TBC….

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time....Loki chooses a new form and bonds with Jane


	29. A New Beginning (part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fake relationship, real feelings....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realize I should have added the genderfluid tag when I started this story (just like the Jotun tag. I was still figuring out how things worked back then). It completely slipped my mind. I'm adding it now. Rest assured I always intended for Loki to be genderfluid

Jane checked her equipment to make sure it was set up properly. She hadn’t taken any readings when Thor and Loki were being bonded or when Loki’s soul was being tied back to his body. She felt that the signals might distract the people performing a very delicate ritual and she didn’t want to do that. But she was excited now. She had been very out of it but she remembered Loki casting an illusion that he had cut off Thor’s hand. It had looked so real, even Malekith had believed it. Loki was clearly talented in ‘sedir’ as Thor called it. Jane was very excited to get her own readings of his magic.

Loki walked down the stairs and headed in the direction of the living room. He didn’t know what to make of Jane Foster now. The woman had clearly become a good friend of both Thor and Zaaroc if they trusted her enough to drag her along as they brought Loki back. Loki still maintained his earlier opinion that she was a better choice than Sif if Thor was looking to settle down. But it was obvious now than Jane and Thor rather be friends than lovers. That was more than fine with Loki. He just didn’t know how to behave around Jane though.

Loki peered through the living room’s entrance and saw that Jane was busy looking over her machines and typing something in her ‘tablet’. She jumped and looked at Loki with wide eyes when he cleared his throat to get her attention.

“Oh my God! You scared me! When did you get here? I didn’t hear anyone climb down.” Jane put a hand over her heart to calm herself.

Loki frowned. “I can be silent. Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. Uh….Zaaroc said you have set up all your equipment to take readings of my sedir. I assume you will monitor them from the tablet. Shall we begin?”

Jane recovered, “Yeah...sure. I set the pods in a circle. Could you please do your ‘sedir’ in the middle? That way I can get a reading from various points, if you don’t mind I mean….”

Loki smiled. An inquisitive person he could understand and work with. “I don’t mind. I was the one who agreed in the first place.”

Loki stepped fully in the room and sat on the sofa in the middle. Jane had the foresight to move it and set her machines around it. Loki tapped his chin in thought as he wondered what he wanted this form to look like. After a few moments he noticed Jane staring at him unblinking.

“What?” Loki was having difficulty concentrating with Jane staring at him like that.

Jane shrugged, “Nothing. I’m just waiting. Can I give suggestions for this whole new form thing?”

Loki looked at Jane warily, “Yes…..I could use some input. I’m not averse to criticism. To be honest I don’t know where to begin….”

Jane nodded, “Yeah….Zaaroc said you can change genders too. That is so cool!” Jane looked excited. She sat beside Loki on the sofa, “Thor says Asgard doesn’t have prejudices about sexuality like Earth does. So that means you could go with a male form and just change a few things. But then there’s always the risk that someone is going to notice your expressions. Because people are more familiar with your male form the expressions are easier to catch. Zaaroc said the common people on Asgard don’t know you can change genders and that even among the nobles it’s more a rumor than a commonly known fact. That means they won’t expect it. Even if they see an expression or a look that reminds them of you...your male form that is...they are more likely to brush it off than think it’s something to be noted. You’re going to say you are from Vanaheim right? If you take a male form the really prejudiced people may suspect you are a spy or sent to trap Thor. They will say that about a female form too. But if you use a female form it will remind the people of Queen Frigga. A bride from Vanaheim for the King of Asgard. Just like during the reign of Odin. It will have a nostalgia to it that you can use to your advantage. At least until the truth comes to light.”

Loki was impressed. Jane made a very strong point. She was right about a female form reminding the common people of their mother. Her recent death was a blow to Asgard’s populace and they were planning on saying Odin succumbed to the Odinsleep because of grief and stress over recent losses. At a time like that if people saw Thor taking a woman of Vanaheim as potential queen they would be more accepting of his ‘relationship’. 

Loki turned to Jane, “I repeat what I said before. I like you. You should think about taking up ruling”

Jane grinned, “No thanks. I’ll stick to the stars. I like my freedom too much. This was something I picked up from hours of Darcy talking about politicians and all their tactics. It comes in handy every now and then when I have to put an assohole who doesn’t think my work is worthwhile in place.”

Loki was beginning to see why Thor liked Jane so much. She had spirit and personality and a functioning brain unlike the so-called Lady Sif. Loki was happy Thor had made at least one good real friend.

Loki stood up, standing in the middle of the room a little ways from the sofa and turned, green-gold light washing over him. Loki’s form changed, his height shrunk by a few inches, his hair grew longer and the leaned muscle frame gave way to a softer, curvier form. When the light faded, Loki was still Loki but now she was wearing a deep blue gown that hugged her figure. She had long black hair and green eyes. She was still lean like her male form but her figure was more filled out than when she was a he.

Jane was surprised. She had known a Loki could change genders but to see it was something else. Her equipment had pinged, registering Loki’s magic as he shifted but Jane ignored it for now. She got up and studied Loki’s changed form. Jane noted that somehow despite the gender shift, Loki still looked like Loki. She had the same high cheekbones and nose and her eyes had the same light Loki’s did. She was taller than Jane, only a few inches shorter than Loki’s male form and had the same smile on her lips. Oh and she had absolutely great taste in clothes.

Jane stood in front of Loki and tapped her chin, “I like this. I really do. But….you still look like Loki. We are trying to make you look like someone else.”

Loki rolled her eyes, “I am aware of that Jane. I just wanted to show you my actual female form before we picked a form that we could claim is from Vanaheim. I wasn’t going to actually go like this. I look like Hela’s twin. That's the wrong kind of nostalgia for Asgard at the moment.”

Oh. Now Jane felt stupid, “Sorry. I am still new at this. It’s a great dress by the way. I love it.”

Loki smiled at her fondly, “Come on help me out here. What do you think? What should I change?”

Jane thought about it, “The hair definitely. The whole long black and wavy is too you. Maybe a different shade?”

Loki nodded and shook her hair, shifting them from black to light blonde. Jane blinked in surprise again, but then frowned, “Hmm...I think blonde is too light. How about a shade of brown? I don’t think blonde is Thor’s type anyways. Oh and maybe add some curls instead of going with straight”

Loki frowned and shook her hair again, this time they turned a shade of rich chocolate brown and were slightly curly. If anyone asked Jane, Loki had given her hair beach waves, they framed her face nicely. She also made her lips fuller and her cheeks filled out so her cheekbones were not that prominent anymore but she left her nose alone. Her figure stayed as it had been. Loki didn’t really want to change it.

Jane smiled. This was better. “Yup. I think this is it. Much harder to say you are Loki. Just stay away from green for a while and I think you’ll be fine”

Loki rolled her eyes, “I am capable of wearing other colors.” She pointed at her blue gown, “What about my eyes? Should I change the color? I want to keep the green. I think I have changed enough features to get away with my eyes being the same color. But I’m not sure. Should I keep it?”

Jane opened her mouth to suggest going with a lighter shade of green but Thor’s voice spoke over her. “Yes. Keep it. Don’t change your eyes.”

Loki looked in the direction of the door and Jane followed her line of sight to see that Thor was standing in the doorway. He had probably been there the whole time. Thor stepped in the room up to Loki and looked her up and down. He brushed a thumb under Loki’s right eye. “Don’t change your eyes. I like the green. I don’t think anyone will notice.”

Jane was pretty sure her presence was completely forgotten. Loki looked surprised by the gesture. She nodded dumbly, her eyes a little wide. Jane shook her head. She wondered how these two still didn’t notice the fact that their relationship had already crossed the boundary of a typical sibling relationship. And now they were staring at each other. Jane sighed bringing Thor and Loki’s attention to her.

“Oh. Nothing. So we’re all agreed on Loki’s form then? We should come up with a name and a background for her. Oh and how you two met and fell in love and all that too…”, Jane was going to have to talk to Zaaroc. It was obvious that Loki loved Thor the same way Thor loved him...her..them. They should do something to get these two idiots to confess their feelings. That reminded her, “So where is Zaaroc?”

Thor blinked, “Huh? Oh. He’s in his room. He’s being an idiot. I made a reasonable request and he refuses to listen.”

“A reasonable request?” Loki frowned, “Did you just argue with Zaaroc? I thought you were getting along.”

Thor shrugged, “We are getting along and I did make a reasonable request Loki. He’s just being stubborn about it. Don’t worry I’m sure he’ll come around.”

Loki wanted to pursue the issue. But if it had been something serious Zaaroc would have told him. He was always vocal when he had problems with Thor. Loki could talk to him later. “Fine. I’ll let it go. For now. Jane is right though we have to think of a name for me. The family name we can leave for Freya to decide. She knows the bloodlines of Vanaheim better but I would like to pick my own firstname. And we have to build a history….” 

Thor wrapped a strand of Loki’s hair around his finger. He liked the way they curled, “I thought of a name. How about Ilvana?”

Jane had no idea what the name meant but Loki’s expression changed when she heard it. “Perfect. You think I’m perfect?” Oh. The name meant perfect. Jane thought it was sweet of Thor to call Loki perfect.

Thor nodded, “Of course you’re perfect Loki. In all your forms and in all your colors. I’m sorry if I ever made you feel like you weren’t”

Jane was beginning to feel like she was listening to a private conversation. Maybe she should go and check on Zaaroc. Loki and Thor were staring into each other’s eyes again. Yeah….Jane should leave them alone. Who knows maybe they will realize how much they loved each other

Jane slowly backed out of the room, careful not to step on any of her equipment. Loki and Thor hardly noticed. Too lost in each other. Jane headed upstairs and knocked on Zaaroc’s door. “Hey. Zaaroc are you there? Can I come in? I wanted to talk to you”

There was some shuffling and then Zaaroc opened the door. He looked surprised to see Jane, “Jane? Yes, you can come in.” Zaaroc stepped aside to let her in.

He sat on his bed, while Jane sat on the chair by the study table in Zaaroc’s room. “So what happened? I thought you were going to take readings of Loki’s magic as he picked a form? Are you done already? That was fast.”

Jane shrugged, “Well I did take readings but I haven’t looked at them yet. I got busy making suggestions for the form Loki should use. I know you already told me he could change genders. But Holy Shit! It’s something else to actually see it! He is a she now. At least I think she prefers to be called a she. I didn’t ask. Which is terrible of me. I should have. I was going to. But then Thor showed up and he kept staring at Loki. Like it’s so obvious he likes her. And I mean likes likes her. And you know what name he suggested Loki use? Ilvana. And Loki was all kinds of shook. She said it meant perfect. So basically Thor said Loki is perfect and now they’re staring at each other like lovesick idiots downstairs. God! The pinning is killing me already! We should do something about that. Preferably before you people go off to Asgard. I want to be a part of the whole let’s bring Loki and Thor together scheme. We have a week. Let’s go sightseeing or to a club. Loki looks like the type to like dancing. Maybe someone will hit on him and Thor will get all jealous and blurt out his feelings. Loki is super pretty you know. Like really. I just realized it. Maybe it wouldn’t have been so bad to have him rule Earth…..”

Zaaroc took advantage of the slight lull in Jane’s rambling to speak up, “Ok….so Loki has decided to go with his female form? That is actually a good idea. The common people don’t know he can do that and the nobles never really believed it. Loki kept it private. So there is little reason for someone to think the woman with Thor is Loki.”

Jane grinned, “I know right! It was my idea. But that’s not what I came here to discuss. Thor said and I quote ‘He’s being an idiot. I made a reasonable request and he refuses to listen.’” Jane purposely deepened her voice to imitate Thor’s. “I guess this is about you refusing to tell Loki that Queen Frigga is your mother. You should, you know. If you are all going to work together to bring Odin down then you should get all the secrets out of the way. Otherwise someone else will find out and misuse the information. We don’t want that.”

Zaaroc looked at his hands. “Yeah I know. It’s just that…..Loki has been my friend for centuries. I knew everything all this time and I didn’t tell him. He is going to be so angry. I don’t want to lose him. I just got him back.” 

Jane sat beside Zaaroc and put a hand on his shoulder, “If you don’t tell him and he finds out from someone else. He is going to feel betrayed. That’s worse. Not to mention Thor has to keep this secret too. I don’t really know how soul bonds work but Thor and Loki have just repaired their relationship. If Loki finds out Thor knew too and didn’t tell him…..I don’t know what kind of effect that will have on the bond. But I don’t think any of us will like it. It’s better to sit down and have this conversation now. Before it’s too late. Don’t worry. I think Loki might be angry at first but he’ll come around. He will understand why you didn’t tell him till now. You have to have some faith. Me and Thor will support you. You don’t have to do this alone.”

Zaaroc looked at Jane gratefully, “Thank you Jane. I needed to hear that. Thor said the same thing. But he was a little harsher about it. He can be like that sometimes. I don’t think he realizes it. You are both right though. It’s better if Loki hears it from me. Come on, let’s do this now before I lose courage. Let’s go break up the staring contest downstairs.”

Jane laughed, “We might have to bang some pans to get their attention. I don’t think they realized it when I left”

Zaaroc shook his head, “Hopeless aren’t they? Let’s have this talk and then we can make plans for our secret mission to get them to fess up their feelings.” 

Jane got up and headed for the door. “Yes. I love scheming now. I have spent way too much time with Darcy. Oh! I can call her. She’ll know what to do. She’s an expert in schemes.”

Zaaroc and Jane went back downstairs and peered in the living room to see Loki and Thor practically sitting on each other’s laps facing each other. Loki was still in her female form, sitting sideways with one knee bent on the couch facing Thor who mirrored her position. They both had one arm on the back of the couch, their fingers touching. Thor was twirling a piece of Loki’s hair on his fingers and Loki’s other hand was on Thor’s knee. They were talking quietly. Jane and Zaaroc looked at each other shaking their heads at their friends. They really had to do something about this.

Zaaroc cleared his throat to get their attention. Loki and Thor looked at them, “Hey. So….Loki, I see you have picked a form. I like it. Jane said it was her idea to go with a female form. I...uh I wanted to talk to you actually. If you don’t mind, can we go to the kitchen? We can sit at the table”

Loki blinked at Zaaroc. He looked nervous, which made Loki nervous. She also realized how close Thor and her had been sitting. Loki frowned. When did they move to the couch? She realized Jane had come in with Zaaroc. When did she leave? Wasn’t she here with her and Thor?

Thor looked at Zaaroc. Ah. It seems Jane had caught on what Thor and Zaaroc argued about and managed to convince him to tell Loki about his parents. Good. Thor didn’t like keeping it from Loki. It felt wrong. Thor reluctantly let go of Loki’s hair and stood up. “Yes. We can go to the kitchen. I want to try that tea Jane was talking about. I think you’ll like it too Loki, come on”

Loki looked up at Thor and shrugged, “Oh. Alright. We can all go to the kitchen I guess.” Loki decided to stay in her female form. It had been a long time since she had changed genders. Now that she did, she realized how much she had missed it.

They all moved to the kitchen. Loki sat at the table. Jane pushed Thor to sit as well while she made tea saying something about not wanting another fire in the kitchen. Loki could feel Thor’s embarrassment. She would have to ask Jane about it later. As the water boiled, Zaaroc helped Jane by pulling out a box of tea bags from the upper shelf of the cupboard and also put some biscuits on a plate. Thor sat beside Loki and fingered her hair again. He always used to do that when Loki took a female form in her younger years. He even learned how to braid so he could help Loki with her longer hair.

Jane poured the water in some tea cups and put a tea bag in each cup. It was chamomile. Perfect to calm the nerves. Zaaroc set the biscuits on the table and Jane removed the tea bags after the tea had steeped. She put all the cups on a tray with a pot of sugar cubes and spoons to carry them in one go. She sat beside Zaaroc, opposite Thor and Loki and handed everyone their cups. Loki immediately put three cubes of sugar in her cup and stirred them, letting the tea cool a little. 

Zaaroc fiddled with the handle of his cup, not sure how to begin this conversation. Thor thankfully decided to break the ice, “So….Loki you remember what you said? About mother’s other…….I mean about how she might have come to Midgard to escape Odin during the war and that maybe her child was still here…...”

Loki frowned, “Yes. But it’s just a theory. Like I said I can’t be sure. It seems like the only thing she could have done at the time. But….I don’t know. Although….” Loki looked at Zaaroc, “Maybe you can ask your friends here. I didn’t know Midgard had an order of mages. They seem like an old organization they might know something”

Zaaroc froze. “uh….” Jane and Thor both looked at him urging him to speak with their eyes. Loki looked around the table. Something was wrong. Thor, Jane and Zaaroc were all keeping something from her. Loki didn’t like it. She didn’t like being left out. 

Zaaroc could see Loki was beginning to realize something was up. He had to speak now before Loki came to her own conclusions. “IwasbornonMidgard!” Zaaroc blurted. He winced that came out too fast, “I was born on Midgard.” Zaaroc spoke more slowly.

Loki who had been looking at Zaaroc with confusion frowned. Zaaroc could see the gears turning in her mind. Loki’s expression went blank. Beside her Thor winced a little in reaction to whatever emotion Loki was projecting. 

Loki was confused when Zaaroc said he was born on Midgard. But then Thor had started the conversation talking about Frigga’s lost child and here Zaaroc was saying he had been born on Midgard. Loki could figure out the rest from there. Zaaroc was Frigga’s lost child. Well he wasn’t all that lost. Freyr had clearly found him. Did that mean Zaaroc had known everything all this time? He had known about Hela and Angrboda and he never told Loki. All those years. All that time they spent together. And he never said anything. Not one word. Another thought crept in Loki’s mind. Had Zaaroc known Loki was adopted? Did Frigga tell him? 

This was too much. Loki unconsciously reverted to his Jotun form. Ice started spreading from his hands which were on the table. Liars! He was surrounded by liars! All of them even his closest friend. They were all liars! From the corner of his eye, Loki saw Thor reach his hand towards him. But Loki pulled away. Thor had known too as had Jane. He was the only one in the dark. He didn’t want to talk to any of them. He didn’t want to hear their excuses. Loki got up from the table without looking back, ignoring Thor calling out to him. He went upstairs to their...Thor’s room and sat on the bed pulling his knees up and putting his head on them, trying to keep the tears from falling. Why did everybody hide things from him?! Was Loki really so untrustworthy that no one trusted him with the truth?

Thor rubbed his eyes. He could feel Loki’s sorrow over the bond. He was crying. The silence was worse than Loki yelling. If he yelled that meant he was just angry. If he was this silent then he was truly hurt. Thor put his head in his hands. He tried to send some reassurance over the bond like Loki had earlier in the day but the sorrow was affecting his own emotions. Thor felt sad. He couldn’t muster any other emotion.This was going horribly. 

He knew it. Loki would be upset. But Zaaroc had expected anger. This deafening silence was much worse. Maybe it would have been better to tell Loki from the beginning, consequences be damned.

Jane stared at the spot where ice that had spread from Loki’s hand was melting. Then she remembered that Loki hadn’t known he was Jotun most of his life. To him the fact that Zaaroc had hidden his parentage must feel like a blow. Loki must be feeling like people couldn’t trust him with the truth. Jane had to talk to him. She was the most neutral party of the three of them

Thor was too lost in the waves of emotions coming from Loki to notice Jane getting up. Zaaroc looked at her questioningly but Jane shook her head. Jane put her cup in the sink. Zaaroc was staring at the table and Thor had his eyes closed now. Jane let them be. She made her way up the stairs and looked in Thor’s room to see Loki sitting on the bed, still blue and crying now. Jane sat down beside him quietly and reached one had to put it on Loki folded hands over his knees. But as soon as Jane touched Loki’s skin a horrible burning pain spread on her hand and her fingers turned blue.

“Ow!” Jane drew her hand back and clutched it in pain. Loki immediately looked up horrified. The tips on Jane’s fingers were blue and it felt like she had put her hand in dry ice. It was cold and burning at the same time.

“Oh Norns! Jane!”, Loki panicked. Even the Aesir had trouble handling a Jotun’s frost touch. Jane was human. Her biology was much weaker. Loki tried to will his Jotun form away but it wasn’t working. Damn it! The blue was spreading on Jane’s fingers. 

“THOR! ZAAROC! HELP!”. Thor was already at the door, having felt Loki’s panic over the bond. Zaaroc was at his heels. “Loki?!! What happened?!!” Thor looked around the room for the threat. His expression thunderous.

Loki looked at him, on the verge of a panic attack. “I….wa-was si-sitting...and J-Jane c-came h-here and I didn’t do it on purpose. I swear!” Loki backed away from them towards the corner

Zaaroc turned his attention to Jane who was clutching her hand with a pained expression. Oh. Jane must have touched Loki while he was still in Jotun form. He was upset so his natural defenses acted out. Zaaroc went to Jane and gently examined her hand. It was frostbite. The extreme kind and it was spreading. Zaaroc cast a healing spell and Jane sighed in relief as the pain left her fingers.

Thor inched towards Loki who was in a corner trying to take a breath but having trouble getting his lungs to work. Thor could feel the waves of panic coming from Loki. Thor grit his teeth and with great effort sent a wave of calm over the bond. Loki relaxed a little.

“Loki? It’s alright”, Thor put his hands up in surrender so as to not startle Loki. He stopped a few inches away from Loki and gently pulled him by the shoulders making sure Loki didn’t feel cornered. “Easy. It’s alright. We are all fine. You need to slow down your heartbeat. Come on, take deep breaths. Nice and easy” Thor demonstrated by breathing deeply. Loki automatically imitated him a little too fast. But he was more aware now. Thor kept breathing deeply till Loki’s breaths matched his. He kept sending calm through the bond.

“There you go. It was just an accident. Jane is perfectly fine see.” Thor turned around pulling Loki with him and pointing to Jane.

Jane nodded and walked up to Loki, holding up her now healed hand, “Yeah. I’m fine. See! All healed. It was an honest mistake. I should have called out your name to get your attention.”

Loki still looked a little shocked but nodded slowly. “I-it’s al-alright.” Loki took a deep breath, feeling better now that he saw Jane was unharmed. “I should be able to control the frost touch. Laufey says it should come to me naturally but I keep fucking it up.” Loki looked at his feet. 

Thor tightened his grip on Loki’s shoulders, “Just because it is supposed to to be easy doesn’t mean that it actually is. Jane should have alerted you. The frost touch is a natural defense it reacted as it should have. It’s alright”

Jane nodded in agreement. While they were all here Jane decided to get them all to talk, “Yeah, it’s totally fine. You know….if Zaaroc had told you that he was Queen Frigga’s son you would have reacted badly. Especially back then. Or worse you would have gone to her all angry and then Odin or Heimdall would have found out. What do you think they would have done?”

Loki saw what Jane was trying to do. He wanted to protest that he would have been rational but Jane was right. He would have reacted badly. Probably caused a scene and he would never have been able to keep a hold of his tongue in front of Odin.

Jane could see Loki was thinking. That was the key. She had realized that once you got Loki to think it was actually very easy to get him to listen to you. She stepped closer to Loki, “Odin would have killed Zaaroc and he might have killed Freyr and Freya too and he would have never trusted Queen Frigga again. He would have made her life worse and it would be a threat to your life too. Even Thor didn’t know. He figured it out because you told him you suspected Queen Frigga had come to Midgard and Zaaroc had told him he was born here that same day. You did just come back to life. Don’t assume they were not going to tell you.”

Loki bit his lip. Now that he thought about it, logically it did make sense for Zaaroc to keep this bit of information to himself. Odin would have indeed killed him if found out. Would still kill him if he found out even now. It was just hard for Loki to not take this personally. People always said Loki was a liar. When he was young, Sif would always accuse him of something or the other and nobody believed Loki when he said he hadn’t done anything. Volstagg said that Loki couldn’t be trusted to keep a secret and that idea stuck. Behind Thor’s back the Warriors Three and Sif always sneered at him and often made snide comments. And then Loki had found that even Odin who was supposed to be his father had not told him the truth from the start. 

Now Loki found it very hard to digest when people kept things from him. Even little things. Loki felt like he was the one at fault. Like he couldn’t be trusted and so people were excluding him purposely. But Zaaroc hadn’t really done that had he? Now that Loki thought about Zaaroc had spent his whole life staring at their mother without ever being able to acknowledge their relation. And now that chance was gone. Frigga was dead. Zaaroc would never see the day when she acknowledged him as her son before the world. He hadn’t even gotten the chance to say farewell. They both had that in common. Loki knew how that felt. It was terrible and here Loki was wallowing in self-pity.

Loki stepped out of Thor’s embrace and stepped up to Zaaroc and hugged him, “I’m sorry.”

Zaaroc shook his head and hugged Loki back, “You don’t have to be. I get why you are upset. But please know this Loki, I wanted to tell you many times. Even I didn’t know she was my mother till I was an adolescent. When I found out I wanted to tell you but mother and Freyr stopped me. They wanted to wait till Thor was the one ruling Asgard. Of course those plans changed.”

Loki pulled back, “You talked to her? When? I’m sure someone would have noticed it.”

Zaaroc shook his head, “No. She was careful. She visited only a few times in dreams over all these centuries. And only when Odin was not on Asgard. She had to be so careful. But she never told me or Freyr or anyone about you. That you are Jotun was news to us too. I think she was scared that if she told anyone and Odin realized it, he might decide to cut his losses and kill you and everyone who knew about you.”

Loki once again felt the loss of their mother. He wished so badly that she was here right now. That Loki could offer her some comfort for all the grief she had felt in her life. He hoped that wherever she was, the Norns had given her peace. 

Thor came to stand beside Loki, “Odin has wronged many people. But what he did to mother is disgusting. He killed her husband and forced her to marry him. I can’t believe he actually thinks he loves her. This isn’t love. If he truly loved her, he would be happy in her happiness.”

Jane shook her head, “Odin doesn’t love Queen Frigga. He never did. He was obsessed with her. He never loved her. But she’s in a better place now. One where Odin will never reach her ever again. I will say this though, I think she would want you all to work together. I think that would make her soul or her spirit wherever it is happy. She wouldn’t want you to fight”

Loki, Thor and Zaaroc looked at each other. It was true. Their mother wouldn’t want them to fight. She would want them to get along. It was the least they could do to honor her memory. 

Loki turned to Jane again, “I’m really sorry about burning you. If I’m in my Jotun form please don’t touch me unannounced. I can’t really control the frost touch that well yet.”

Jane nodded, “Yes of course. Let’s just jot this down as a learning experience. By the way, the whole I’ll freeze you if you touch me is like a super cool power. I feel like I need to make a list of all your powers. I keep finding new ones every minute. I'm going to get my tablet!”

Jane turned on her heels without waiting for Loki’s response. Loki looked at Thor, pointing at Jane’s retreating form, “Please tell her not every alien is friendly. She takes life threatening experiences too lightly. One of these days she’s going to actually get hurt.”

Thor shook his head at Jane’s antics fondly, “I keep telling her the same thing. The humans even have this expression ‘Curiosity killed the cat’ But Jane says that cats have nine lives so it’s ok to die once or twice for the sake of curiosity”

“Let’s just make a protection charm for her before we leave for our peace of mind.” Zaaroc said. Loki and Thor nodded in agreement.

Zaaroc turned to Loki, “I see that you revert back to your Jotun form whenever you experience strong emotions or was this just a one off. Maybe we should craft a charm to keep an illusion of your female form around you for emergencies.”

Loki frowned and looked at himself. Laufey had said the Jotun form should be there even when Loki switched genders. Maybe his gender shifted because Loki expected it to shift. He closed his eyes and concentrated, trying to shift his gender without impacting the Jotun form. Loki felt a subtle shift. When she opened her eyes, her skin was still blue but she could tell her gender had shifted. 

Loki conjured a full length mirror to look at herself. She was still a Jotun and all her marks were exactly the same as her male Jotun form. Her hair was black though instead of the brown she and Jane had decided on. Her height hadn’t changed at all. Loki felt a flash of that strange emotion she had felt earlier in the day over the bond again. She tried to catch Thor’s eye in the mirror but he suddenly seemed to find the floor very interesting.

Loki shrugged and shifted back to her male form. He looked at Zaaroc, “I think you’re right about crafting a charm. Even if I can maintain my female form all the time, it’s good to have a charm for unforeseen circumstances. I’ll work on it”

Loki waved a hand and the mirror disappeared. He turned to Thor. “Let’s work on our history. I like the name. And I think saying that I am one of the ladies-in-waiting for Freya is a good idea. It would make it easier to claim I am from a noble family. Freya can vouch for me and so can the people at Vanheim’s court. We will need her help to figure out a family name for me so let’s leave it for now. Jane has the right idea when she says we need to sort out how we met and decided to become….lovers…”

Zaaroc decided to leave before Thor and Loki got lost in their own little world. “Well would you look at the time! I’ll be downstairs, helping Jane make lunch. See you later.”

Zaaroc left leaving Thor and Loki to stare after him confused. Loki shook his head and sat on the bed, patting the space beside him. “Come on then. Let’s sort this out.”

Thor blinked and decided to sit on the chair beside the study table instead, “Uh...sure….um...so I met you when I went on a hunt on Vanaheim. The one we both went to without the Warriors Three and Sif remember? Mother practically ordered us to go on that hunt to clear our minds.”

Loki nodded, “Yes….the pranks became too much and she got fed up with us fighting all the time. It was more so she could have some peace and quiet. You refused to listen to me and got hurt setting a trap and we got stuck on Vanaheim for an entire month waiting for your dumb ass to recover.”

Thor pouted, “How was I supposed to know that rope was for the trap? You didn’t tell me”

Loki looked at Thor in disbelief, “You saw a random rope in the forest and decided that ‘Hey. Look at this! I wonder what it does! Oh I know! Let me be a moron and pick it up!’” Loki crossed his arms, “Really?!! It’s a miracle you made it past adolescence! We were trying to catch a bilgesnipe. I had a very strong poison on it. You are fortunate Freya keeps a stock of ingredients good enough to make obscure antidotes. Imagine how it would have sounded! The Crown Prince of Asgard died by rope. Idiot.”

Thor could feel the blush rising on his face. He really did do stupid things sometimes. “Oh come off it! You have scolded me a hundred times for it already! You don’t have to keep repeating it! That’s all you did while I recovered. That and nagging for everything non-stop. ‘Don’t get up from the bed Thor’ ‘Finish the soup Thor’ ‘Just shut up and drink the draught Thor’ ‘You snore like a troll Thor’ and on and on and on. You even yelled at the servants. All of them practically cheered when the bifrost opened to take us back.”

Loki sniffed offended, “Well it’s not my fault! They were all incompetent morons. I told them to wake me at sunrise to administer the draught to you and they were late! I didn’t yell at them so badly.”

Thor rolled his eyes, “Loki they were late by one minute. And that one minute was because  **you** didn’t get up the first time they shook you.”

Loki waved a hand, “We are getting off topic! Fine so you and Ilvana met during the time you got hurt on that one hunt we went to on Vanaheim. We can say she was the one who made the antidote. I want to be able to use my sedir. We can say she is talented in the healing arts. Now for the hard part. When did we fall in ‘love’?”

Thor stiffened. This was a slippery slope. When did he fall in love with Loki? To Thor it felt like he had always loved Loki but there was one memory. Thor looked at Loki, “The winter feast. The one Freya holds every year. She decided to hold a ball. I was terrible at dancing. You taught me. You complained so much that I had two left feet. But you taught me how to dance nevertheless. Then you looked so proud when I danced perfectly at the ball. I was dancing with Runa and I looked at you and realized I wanted to dance with you instead. You who would dance with me even if I had two left feet and stepped on your toes all the time.”

Thor got up and sat beside Loki, stroking his cheek, “I realized all the others only saw a face, a title. You saw me and you were still there. Standing there happy to see me succeed. And then after you fell from the Bifrost. I realized you were the one that mattered the most. You did everything to make me realize my mistakes even when you were called a traitor for it. I still shudder to think how things would be if I had actually ascended to the throne. Especially with the way I had been back then. Thank you for stopping me from making that mistake. ”

Loki blinked. He had no words. He remembered that feast. Thor had danced with practically everyone. So happy with his newly learned skill. He also remembered the anxiety leading up to Thor’s coronation. Loki had tried to get Thor to listen to him. He was not ready. If he had ascended to the throne, he would have ended up failing and Loki couldn’t bear to see Thor fail. 

Loki looked at his hands, trying to keep a check on his emotions. He could feel love pouring over the bond from Thor and he had to use all his strength to keep himself from doing something stupid. Like kissing Thor and confessing he was in love with Thor. “You don’t have to thank me. I only wanted the best for you and for the people of Asgard. I didn’t want you to wake up one day and hate the person staring at you when you looked in the mirror. I remember when we were younger you always supported my practice of sedir. You would always encourage me whenever I couldn’t do a spell. You said that one day I will be the greatest mage in all of the Nine Realms. But it was that moment, when I first took my female form. I was experimenting and I couldn’t shift back and I was crying and then you came in and after I explained what happened you hugged me said that it was alright. I was the most brilliant mage you had ever seen and I could figure it out. You said that even if I didn’t it won’t change anything that you would be proud to have me as your sister as you had been to have me as your brother. You even bought me dresses and jewelry to wear. I can't tell you how grateful I am that you accepted me. You said exactly what I needed to hear. I saw why everyone believed you would be an excellent ruler.” 

Those moments had become rare later in their life. Loki cherished every moment where Thor was himself. When he didn’t care about status, decorum or what he was supposed to behave like. When he put all that aside and listened to his heart that was when he truly shined as a ruler. Loki had seen it. Thor could make Asgard better. That had also been the moment Loki had realized he was in love with Thor. That he could never look at anyone else the same way. That there was only one person whose acceptance mattered the most. Loki could bear other people hating him but he couldn’t bear Thor doing the same.

Thor smiled at Loki, “Thank you Loki. But I don’t want to rule alone. Even at my worst I never wanted it. I want you to rule with me. I would have you as my advisor. We are better together. We always have been. That whole competition for the throne thing was absolutely ridiculous. I realize now that it was all a trick. A trick Odin played to drive a wedge between us.”

Thor looked conflicted again. Loki understood how he felt. He had looked up to Odin all his life. Now that Thor knew the truth, he didn’t know how to feel about Odin. Thor had been closer to Odin. He spent more time with Odin and now all of it was tainted.

There was one thing Loki wanted to say, “It’s alright for you to still love him.”

Thor looked at him guilty. Loki pulled Thor in a hug. “It really is. Odin and I were so different. We never really got along. But you and he spent so much time together. He taught you how to ride and how to fight. You can’t erase those memories Thor. No one expects you to suddenly hate Odin. I understand. He might have not been my father but he was yours. Still is. What he did was wrong and for that we cannot let him go. But if someone came to me and told me Frigga was a murderer, it won’t change the fact that to me she was my mother. I would feel betrayed but I would still feel love for her. That won’t go away with a snap. It can’t.”

Thor hugged Loki and buried his head in his shoulder. He could feel the tears pricking his eyes, “I just want to know why. He had everything. He had a kingdom, a wife and a child. He could have lived out his days in peace. Just why? Why all this bloodshed? What did he get? And then he raised me with all these notions. Did he really think I would never find out? Not to mention he really did everything to get to hate you didn’t he? Filled my head with all that bias against the Jotun. Taught me sedir was a weapon of the weak. As if I could hate you”

Thor scoffed. He buried his nose in Loki’s neck breathing in his scent. Loki hummed and wrapped his arms around Thor’s back, relishing in the closeness. Thor brushed his thumb over the sliver of skin that was visible as Loki’s tunic had ridden up and Loki shivered at the touch. They both froze realizing they were enjoying the hug far too much. 

Thor pulled away, clearing his throat to get his voice to work. “Uh..right. I think we are off topic again….”

Loki blinked trying to understand what had just happened. Now that Thor had moved away and his brain was working again, he realized Thor had frozen too. But Thor had no reason to freeze did he? Loki was the one whose feelings crossed boundaries wasn’t he? To Thor the hug was just a hug wasn’t it? Loki tilted his head and studied Thor. He was blushing. Loki realized Thor was blushing. Loki blinked again. No it couldn’t be could it? 

Loki shook his head. Maybe it was the bond. Loki was imagining things. Projecting his own emotions on Thor. Misreading his behavior. But Loki’s intuition said he should push. Just to see where it leads.  Loki cleared his throat too, “Yeah...I think the winter feast story is a good one. We can use that. We can say we have been exchanging letters this whole time. I think I should use the secret paths or the portals our new friends can make to go to Vanaheim, a day before we put Odin under. Then when news reaches you, go back via the Bifrost and tell Heimdall you have sent a message to Freya to send one of her talented healers. I will wait for some time then call for Heimdall. Once he deposits me on Asgard, you have some guards escort me and we can pretend to be in a relationship in front of them. The news will certainly spread. Once it is declared that Odin is in Odinsleep and you are made interim ruler, you can ask me to stay. I will pretend to be reluctant but ultimately cave in to your demands. It will look more natural that way. Rather than me showing up with you on Asgard out of nowhere.”

Thor nodded that made sense. Zaaroc had illusions on this house just as he had on Jane’s house. According to them Thor was here with Jane only. It would be odd if a woman from Vanaheim suddenly appeared with him on Midgard. Thor was going to suggest they work out how they were going to sell their relationship with minimal public display of affection but he couldn’t get the words out. Just the thought of kissing Loki made his mind go blank.

Loki tapped his chin in thought. That strange emotion had flared again briefly and now Thor looked lost in his thoughts. But it couldn’t be what Loki was thinking could it? If Thor had the same kind of feelings for Loki that Loki did for Thor he would have noticed it sometime in all these centuries right?

Thor was staring at his lips now. Loki decided he would test the waters and see where it went. If Thor really felt the same about Loki then…..well then Loki would be the happiest person alive. If he didn’t then Loki would back off and play it off as him trying to get a rise out of Thor. He would be shattered of course but he couldn’t force his own feelings on Thor. That was….no that was wrong. Plain and simple wrong.

Loki decided they had enough details for their ‘relationship’ for now. The constant shifting expended Loki’s powers and he was hungry again. Loki got up and stretched his arms above his head, enough that his tunic rode up to show a bit of his stomach. Thor’s eyes were immediately drawn to it. Interesting. 

“Come on.” Loki motioned at Thor, “Let’s go downstairs and see what Jane and Zaaroc are up to. I’m hungry.”

Thor nodded dumbly. His eyes still glued to Loki’s stomach till he realized Loki was staring at him, waiting for a response. What was he doing?!! He had been blatantly staring at Loki like a creep. He needed to get a hold of himself before Loki noticed! 

Thor cleared his throat, “uh...yes...let’s go downstairs. You have used a lot of sedir since morning, we should eat something.”

Thor hurried past Loki out the door. Loki looked at Thor’s retreating form. The looks Thor had been sending him were definitely not brotherly. A thought crept in Loki’s mind that maybe it was the bond. But Loki shook his head. No. Laufey had sat down with Loki and explained the bond to him. The one thing he had repeatedly insisted on was that the bond did not create emotions. It brought up feelings that may have been hidden or ignored but it could not create an emotion that had not been there already. 

Whatever. Loki could be cunning. He will figure out the reason behind that strange emotion Thor kept projecting. It had been a long time since Loki had seduced someone. He was a little rusty but that was alright. He could do this. Loki smiled widely. Oh it will be so much fun!

TBC....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I always feel like Loki is better at reading people and so between Thor and him, he would be the one to realize the shift in their relationship first...  
> Oh and the name Thor used for Loki's female form is elvish  
> https://www.elfdict.com/w/perfect  
> It starts with an 'i'


	30. The Norse Trap (part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of accidentally seductive little brothers and scheming friends.....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Author attempts to write about sightseeing in London while never having visited it herself* If there are mistakes about the places in London it's probably because I have never visited London and all information is searched on the internet.

Thor tried very hard to not react as Loki put a hand on his knee under the table as they ate the lasagna that Zaaroc and Jane had managed to bake. Their conversation seems to have put Loki in a happy mood. He was all smiles and Thor knew from experience that whenever Loki was this happy he became very tactile. When they were younger he would run his hands through Thor’s hair as he read to him. It was one of Thor’s favorite memories. But Thor’s feelings had taken a different turn since then and Loki had become withdrawn. Thor was not used to Loki touching him so much. It was hard to remain neutral about it.

Zaaroc smirking at him annoyingly didn’t help. Jane and Loki were busy discussing….something. Thor hadn’t paid attention and Zaaroc kept smiling at his plight. If looks could kill, Zaaroc would be dead right now. Loki laughed at something Jane said and his hand moved to Thor’s thigh. Nope. Thor stood up a little too fast, startling Loki who looked at him confused. 

“Uh….I...wanted some cold drink with lasagna?….” Thor internally cringed. That came out like a question. But it was a reasonable excuse wasn’t it? 

Loki blinked at him probably wondering why Thor was acting like an idiot. Thor gave him a smile that made Loki frown and hastily made his retreat. Why was the room so warm? Thor opened the refrigerator and saw that it was very well stocked. He would thank Aerin and Lael before leaving for Asgard for their hospitality. There were a couple of drinks in the fridge and a big bottle of coke. Thor pulled it out and poured some in two glasses. It was sweet and cold. Loki would love it. Thor also added some ice cubes to each glass and took it to the table.

Loki scrunched his nose up at the glass of black liquid Thor placed in front of him. He squinted at the glass. There was condensation on it and what looked like tiny bubbles inside the glass. Loki was fascinated. The humans were so versatile. He found something new every minute. 

Jane smiled at Loki. He was adorable. His eyes got huge and starry just like a cat whenever he saw something new. “It’s coke. It’s a soft drink. It’s made by infusing a syrup into carbonated water. The formula is a top secret recipe that literally only two people know.”

Loki looked at her and tilted his head at the glass. He picked it up and sipped it delicately. It was sweet and cold and tingled pleasantly in Loki’s throat! A combination almost impossible to find on Asgard unless one counted mead. But if Loki drank that much mead everyday, he would be a drunkard. This was great! Loki emptied the entire glass in one go and smacked his lips. 

Thor smiled at Loki. He knew Loki would like it. His brother’s food choices had always seemed odd to Thor. Of course it had been because Loki was Jotun. His palate was meant for a different kind of food than the one found on Asgard. Now though Thor would be happy to help Loki figure out what he liked and disliked when it came to food and the mortals had such variety. Thor was sure there were many things here that Loki would love.

Zaaroc shook his head at Thor. He was looking at Loki like a lovesick idiot again. Well it was time to put phase one of his and Jane’s plan to get them together in motion. “Well I guess we can say Loki likes soft drinks. They come in many flavours you know” and if that didn’t make Loki look like a child in a candy store. “I was thinking….we should go sightseeing. We’ve had a few rough months and we will probably have rough months ahead. Let’s take this week to relax. We can go out. Enjoy the sights London has to offer. It will be good practice for you both too. Being out and about in public.”

Jane nodded, “We could go visit the Museum. It is the place where we have various exhibits of artefacts and paintings and books and scrolls from civilizations that existed many years ago. We can start there. I wanted to see this one exhibit called ‘The Standard of Ur’ It’s supposed to have depictions of scenes of war and peace. I thought that was interesting. I want to see it.”

Loki looked at Thor with wide pleading eyes. “Can we go? I would love to see these ‘exhibits’ . It has been so long since I studied some artefacts. Please…”

Thor wasn’t particularly interested in seeing a bunch of old things that were probably not that old for him, but how could he say no when Loki looked at him like that. “Oh alright. We can go. But let’s be back by dinner. And no using sedir on the artefacts. Alright?”

Loki nodded, “Yes. yes…..fine. I won’t use sedir on any of the artefacts. I’m going to go get ready!” Loki got up hugging Thor sideways and kissing his cheek. “Thank you!” He skipped out of the room leaving behind a stunned Thor touching the spot where Loki had kissed him.

Zaaroc sighed at Thor who glared at him. “What?!!”

Zaaroc rolled his eyes, “Oh nothing. It’s just you might as well stick a paper on your forehead saying I love Loki Laufeyson. It will be easier on us all. Honestly. Could you be more obvious?”

Jane smacked Zaaroc’s shoulder, “Cut it out. Be nice. Don’t worry Thor, personally I don’t think Loki will ever shun you even if he knew how you feel about him.”

Thor shook his head. “No. Absolutely not. My feelings are my problem. I won’t burden Loki with them. He does not need to know. End of discussion”

Zaaroc and Jane both opened their mouths to protest but Thor held a hand up silencing them. “No. It is my decision and I have made it. Please don’t keep bringing this up” Thor got up, putting his and Loki’s plates and glasses in the dishwasher. He turned back towards Jane and Zaaroc. “I am going to take a shower and get ready as well.”

Thor stomped up the stairs without waiting for them to respond. He headed for his room to grab a change of clothes. Loki was standing front of a full length mirror changing dresses rapidly. She was frowning, seemingly dissatisfied with all of them. Thor couldn’t help but smile at her. It occurred to him that Loki probably hadn’t done something fun for years. Even if her definition of fun was different from Thor’s. It was nice to see her genuinely excited for something.

Thor came to stand behind Loki, catching her gaze in the mirror, “They are all good Loki. You can pick any one of them. You will look good regardless. Though maybe you should go with some pants. We will probably be walking a lot.”

Loki hummed, tapping her chin. A moment later green light washed over her form and when it faded she was wearing black pants with a beautiful red shirt that had a deep v neck. It fit her perfectly, highlighting her figure. Thor swallowed. The dresses usually hid Loki’s figure. Like this Thor had to tamp the urge to wrap his arms around her waist.

Loki smirked slightly as she felt the flare of the same emotion she had been feeling from Thor earlier. It was lust. She recognized it now. It took her a while because she didn’t expect Thor to ever look at her like that. His feelings for her definitely crossed the boundaries of normal sibling bond. Loki had almost danced in joy when she first came back to the room. Now all she had to do was rile Thor up so much that he acted on his feelings. It was going better than she had expected. At lunch Loki was more touchy and Thor kept stuttering trying to not let his face react and when she had kissed Thor’s cheek she could practically see his mind go blank. Now he was staring at her, his eyes glued to her cleavage. Loki could feel her blood warming under Thor’s gaze.

She turned around and spread her arms, “Well? How is this? How do I look?”

Thor blinked and realized where his eyes were looking. He fought the blush and looked resolutely at Loki’s face. “Uh….It’s nice….I mean you look good Loki. I like the color.” Red was Thor’s color. To see Loki wearing it made Thor’s stomach tingle. He decided to retreat before he said something stupid like how he liked it when Loki wore his colors. “I...uh...I am going to shower. Do you need help with your hair?”

Loki turned back to the mirror and frowned, “Yes. I think so. If we are going to be walking around it’s best to tie it up. I’ll wait for you.” Loki conjured a stool and sat on in front of the mirror. Thor shook his head fondly. He grabbed a fresh pair of jeans and shirt and headed for the shower. He needed a cold shower now. 

Loki smiled at Thor’s back. She conjured a brush and began brushing her hair as she waited for Thor. Loki wondered what it would be like to be in a relationship with Thor. Loki would definitely be accused of bewitching him at least once. Probably by Sif. The soul bond was in Loki’s favor though. It couldn’t be forced. With it the Alfheim and Vanaheim would easily accept Thor and Loki’s relationship. The Aesir might show resistance but there was little they could do to protest the soul bond. There might be backlash when it was revealed Loki was Jotun. But they planned on changing the Aesir’s opinion anyways. Thor and Loki’s relationship could serve as a foundation for rebuilding the peace between Asgard and Jotunheim. But Loki didn’t want to count her eggs before they hatched. First she needed Thor to admit his feelings, that was the most important part.

Thor entered the room after almost freezing himself in the cold water of the shower but he needed it. He brushed the towel through his hair one more time before dumping it in the laundry basket. Loki was staring at the mirror one hand in her hair with a brush, seemingly lost in thought.

Thor gently tapped her shoulder, “Loki? How do you want me to do your hair? Just one braid or something fancy?”

Loki blinked to see Thor standing behind her. Water still stuck to his clavicles which were visible partially through the shirt. His hair was a mess, probably horribly tangled from where Thor rubbed it to dry the water but somehow he still looked so handsome. “Uh….just a simple braid I think. Just to get the hair out of the way.”

Thor nodded. He knelt behind Loki to be at level with her hair and gently took the brush from her hand which then transformed into a comb. Thor gently ran it through Loki’s hair, gathering it in his hand and braiding it like their mother had taught him. Loki handed him a red leather cord and Thor tied it at the end of the braid. A few pieces of hair from the front strayed out of the braid but they framed Loki’s face nicely so Thor let them be.

“There all done!” Thor smiled at Loki who looked at him gratefully. She got up from the stool and motioned at Thor. “Thank you. Come on then sit. You’ve made a terrible mess of your hair. Look at this! It’s all tangled. Come on. I’ll fix it.” 

Thor rolled his eyes at the criticism, but obeyed Loki, handing her the comb. Loki tutted at Thor’s hair and transformed the comb into a wide toothed one. She slowly untangled the knots formed in Thor’s hair until the comb was able to run through them smoothly. Thor’s hair was longer than she remembered. Loki also noticed a strand of her own hair pinned in Thor’s hair. Thor had braided a strand of her hair in his own in remembrance. Loki’s heart filled with warmth. She touched the pin and Thor caught her hand.

“Leave it. I know you are no longer dead but I still want to keep it.”, Thor stroked her wrist with his thumb and Loki could only nod in return. She braided Thor’s hair the way he usually wore them weaving the strand of her hair in his braids. Thor stood up and Loki vanished the stool. He came to stand beside her, putting an arm around her waist. They looked good, standing there together. 

A knock interrupted them. It was Zaaroc. He was wearing his jacket. “Hey. Are you rea-oh I see. Well I guess you are ready then. Jane and I are ready too. We’re just waiting for you. Don’t forget your coats and shoes.”

Loki nodded at Zaaroc and conjured a long dark grey coat that reached her knees. Thor grabbed his jacket from the back of the chair near the study table and put on his shoes. Loki decided on some black leather boots. She was already taller than the average human woman; she didn’t need the added height.

Loki looked around. It just occurred to her that one thing was missing about Thor’s look. “Thor. Where is Mjolnir?” Now that Loki thought about it she hadn’t seen it since she woke up.

Thor shuffled his feet. “Um....Zaaroc has it. Or rather his pocket dimension has it. I didn’t want to carry it with me all the time. Just doesn’t feel right now that I know it was originally Hela’s weapon. But I couldn’t just leave it lying around so Zaaroc opened a pocket dimension and I sent it through. I’ll retrieve it from him before leaving for Asgard.”

Loki blinked. She wanted to comment but really it was Thor’s choice. Mjolnir did feel like a tool Odin used though. It did not feel like it solely belonged to Thor anymore. Maybe….once they returned and if everything went well….maybe Loki could have Etri craft a weapon specifically for Thor. Yes. That was a good idea. “Alright. As long as it is safe.” 

Loki shrugged and headed downstairs, Thor at her heels. Jane and Zaaroc were indeed waiting for them in the hallway by the door. Jane perked up when she saw Loki. “Hey! I love the shirt and the coat and the shoes. You look great Loki!”

Loki smiled at her. Jane smiled back and then straightened her back. “Ok. So I think we should take cabs like we did earlier. It will take us less time like that. Like ten to fifteen minutes at the most. The museum is in Bloomsbury. The more specific address is Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury. There are other museums in London so make sure you say ‘The British Museum’. Ok?”

Thor nodded and Loki memorised the address. Thor had a tendency to forget them. Jane clapped her hands. “Alright. There are a lot of exhibits so we can just decide which ones we want to see when we get there. Come on. Let’s go”

Thor, Zaaroc, Loki and Jane all headed out the door. Thor took Loki’s hand in his again and stepped out. He copied Zaaroc and hailed a cab and Loki gave the driver the address. They both got in and Loki stared out the windows like she had earlier. Thor didn’t mind. Jane had been right about saving time. Soon they were stopping in front of a big building. Loki looked excited and pulled at Thor’s hand impatiently. Thor barely managed to pay the driver as Loki pulled him towards Jane and Zaaroc who were already there.

Loki and Thor walked up to them. There people milling in and out of the building. Jane walked ahead of them and they all went in. There were brochures available and Jane handed one to Thor, Loki and Zaaroc. “Ok. So there are different rooms and they all have different themes. Let’s keep the Great Court as the common place to meet if we get separated. I want to see the Greece: Minoans and Mycenaeans. It’s in room number 12”

Thor was going to suggest they all head there but Loki spoke up, “I want to see the Nereid Monument. It is in room 17”

Zaaroc clapped his hands, “Great! You and Thor can head there then. I’ll be with Jane. See you!”

Zaaroc pulled Jane away and headed towards the exhibit she wanted to see before Thor could interject. Loki turned to Thor, “That was rude. Is there anything that you want to see?”

Thor flipped through the brochure. Most of the exhibits were sculptures but Thor saw an exhibit for clocks and watches. He was impressed with the many kinds of watches the humans had for seeing time. It would be interesting to see the evolution of the watches over the years. “I think….I want to see the exhibits for clocks and watches. It’s on the upper floors room 38 and 39. But let’s head for the exhibit you want to see first.”

Loki nodded and took Thor’s hand leading him towards the exhibit. It was apparently a tomb. There were stands with information written on them. Loki pulled Thor towards the huge monument at one end of the room. It had three statues of women. Thor could see that the statues were old. They did not have heads. The monument had five marble columns. The description said that the name was given based on Nereids, mythical sea nymphs and daughters of sea god Nereus. Thor frowned wondering if these people had actually existed. 

Loki looked at the monument, tilting her head this way and that. “Hmm. I don’t see what’s so special about this. The description says it’s a tomb. Is there a dead body still in it? Can we look at that?”

Thor saw a woman beside them glare at Loki. Thor wrapped an arm around Loki’s shoulder and pulled her away from the exhibit, giving the woman a charming smile. “Hehe. She’s just joking. The exhibit is great. We’ll just...go now”

Loki looked like she was going to protest every sentence Thor said so he hurriedly pulled her away before she managed to offend the entire museum. Loki pouted. But Thor gave her a stern look. “I’m adding another rule. No mocking the exhibits. Please.”

Loki sighed dramatically, “Fine. Take all the fun out of it, why don’t you...I guess we can go see the clocks you wanted to look at”

Thor narrowed his eyes at Loki a moment longer, before shrugging and taking her hand, leading her to the exhibits for the clocks. This room was more brightly lit and had more people in it. There were various kinds of clocks showcased all around the room. Thor was attracted towards a strange metal contraption that did not look like a clock at all.

‘The Cassiobury Park Turret clock’ ,the exhibit label read. Loki looked interested too. A guide was explaining the clock mechanism to a group of people. Loki peered at the plaque describing the clock. Thor let go of her hand to go around the clock, studying its various parts. 

“Marvelous isn’t it?” Loki turned around to see a tall man with short blonde hair smiling at her. She raised an eyebrow in question. “The clock. It’s magnificent isn’t it?”

Loki turned back to the clock. She could see Thor on the other side looking at the man with narrowed eyes. Through the bond she could feel Thor’s irritation. Loki tapped her lips. “Yes. It is. Especially for the time period it was built in. Can you imagine? It must have been the pride of the whole city back then.”

The man laughed, “Oh certainly. I’m Nicholas. Nice to meet you.” Nicholas extended one hand towards Loki.

Loki shook it, giving the man her most charming smile, “Ilvana. Nice to meet you as well. Are you fond of clocks? I think they require a certain patience and precision to craft.”

Nicholas stepped closer to her. “Oh yes. One has to be very precise when making a clock. It is a serious business. You need steady hands”

“Yes. I’m sure anyone can make a clock if they put their mind to it. Sorry...who are you again?”, Thor was suddenly standing beside Loki, an arm wrapped around her waist possessively. “I am Jake. Ilvana’s fiance.” Loki didn’t have to look at Thor’s face to know that he was doing his best God of Thunder expression.

She had to control her features to not let the pleased smile show on her face. Poor Nicholas stuttered and mumbled something before making a hasty exit. Thor kept glaring at the spot where he disappeared, the people around them were looking at them warily. Loki decided to distract Thor before he decided to actually chase the poor man. She elbowed Thor, “Thor! The poor man was just sharing his views. You didn’t have to be so rude.”

Thor looked sheepish now. “Uh...sorry. I don’t know what came over me. Um….we didn’t discuss what we were going to call each other…...I hope you don’t mind me introducing myself as your fiance.”

Loki waved a hand dismissively, “Don’t be silly. Of course not. I take it Jake is the name Zaaroc came up with for you?”

Thor nodded, “Yes. He got me legal documents with the name Jake Olson. To make it easier to go from place to place on Midgard without bringing attention to myself.”

Loki nodded. She realized they were blocking people from the exhibit of the clock, so she took Thor’s hand and directed them to some of the other clocks on display around the room. They looked at them but Loki only half paid attention. So Thor was jealous and possessive of Loki. That wasn’t new. Thor had always glared at all of Loki’s love interests over the years. There hadn’t been many. But sometime between pining after Thor and accepting that it will never lead anywhere, Loki did take lovers to distract herself. Thor was always hostile towards them. Earlier Loki would have brushed it off as some odd older sibling thing where Thor believed Loki was a waif and couldn’t take care of herself. But now that Loki could sense Thor’s emotions, their depth, she knew it was more than just a protective instinct. Thor was actually jealous. It made Loki feel unique. 

Thor and Loki went around the museum, looking at more exhibits. Loki had felt faint traces of sedir coming from the Egyptian exhibits and from some of the African and Chinese ones as well as the exhibits from India, Nepal, Tibet, Japan. Loki was surprised at the amount of exhibits that seemed to give off some kind of magical signature. These must be civilizations that emphasized and believed in magic. Loki would ask Zaaroc about it later. He might know. Surprisingly they didn’t run into Jane or Zaaroc even once. Not that Loki minded. It was nice to do something with Thor without the interference of their friends, even the actual good ones. They bickered over some of the nordic exhibits and Thor stopped Loki twice more from criticizing the various sculptures. Time flew by and before they knew it was already evening. With no sign of Jane or Zaaroc, they decided to go to the Great Court and wait for their friends to surface.

Thor and Loki sat on the stairs in the Great Court, which was a huge circular room with a building in the middle and two sets of stairs on either side of it. People were milling about the room and some were sitting on the stairs. Loki and Thor picked a spot a little away from the other people on the stairs, so they wouldn’t be overheard so easily.Loki sat on a step and Thor sat one step below her, his head level with her stomach. Loki hair had come out of the braid so she untied the cord and shook her hair out, running her fingers through them. Thor automatically wrapped a strand around his fingers. 

Loki smiled at him fondly, “You like the color? Jane helped me pick it out. She said the black made it obvious it was...well me. I did look more like Hela’s twin sister like that.”

Thor looked at her, “Hmm? Oh. Yes the color is nice, but what I actually like is the curls. You always used to smooth your hair out. I liked it better when you let the curls be.”

Loki played with the cord in her hands, “Sif said it made me look like a woman. I wouldn’t have minded. But I don’t think she meant it as a compliment. So I straightened them out. Are you in contact with them? The warriors three and lady Sif?”

Thor was gripping the strand of Loki’s hair tightly now. Loki could see his other fist also clenched in anger, “She...No I am not in contact with any of them. Sif did ask me to come with them on a hunt in Alfheim but I was not in the mood. Why she believed I would even want to go on a hunt a couple months after the death of my mother and brother escapes me. I left before they returned. I don’t think I want to talk to any of them anymore.”

Loki was surprised. Thor had always been attached to the warriors three and Sif. She expected that Thor might want her to give them another chance. The anger was a surprise. “They are your friends. I thought….”

Thor shook his head speaking over Loki, “No. I don’t believe they were ever my friends. Not really. Do you know? They never once offered their sympathies for your death. Not just now, even back then, when you fell from the Bifrost. Even Jane who had only met you once offered her sympathies. And here were my ‘friends’ of many centuries, laughing and eating, not once thinking how I felt about your death. About mother’s death. Why do we even do that anyways? The feasting in honor of the dead. It seems insensitive now”

Loki embraced Thor, who put his head in her lap. Loki ran a hand through his hair, trying to soothe him. “I know. But it  **is** a way of honoring the dead. It is done to show that while death brings grief we celebrate the life the person had lived. We celebrate their achievements in life. And the warriors three and Sif have never liked me. They don’t have the intelligence to look beyond their own limited world view. I’m sure they don’t even realize it.”

Thor sighed, resting his head more fully in Loki’s lap, relishing her cool touch in his hair. “You are probably right. But it’s hard to not feel offended. They have been my friends for so long and enjoyed all the benefits that came with it. It makes me feel like they are using me. Like they are my friends only because of my title and status.”

Loki hummed, understanding what Thor meant all too well, “When we get back and the truth is revealed, let’s see how they react. If they stay by your side then maybe your friendship with them can be salvaged, otherwise, well...you are Prince soon to be King, you have no shortage of friends. The warriors three and Sif can find another mule to ride on. They might struggle without your support but adversity is good for building strength of character or so I have heard.” Loki shrugged.

Thor looked up smiling at her, “Oh sister how mean. I missed your devious schemes. It’s settled then. A little adversity never hurt anyone anyways.” Thor and Loki grinned at each other.

Someone clearing their throat caught their attention. It was Zaaroc and Jane. Finally. Loki got up dislodging Thor from her lap who complained about his nice pillow abandoning him. Loki ignored him. “Finally! Where were you both? We looked at all the exhibits and didn’t run into you even once. Come on now I’m hungry!”

Thor perked up at the mention of food and nodded in agreement. Jane tapped her chin. “Oh I know! Let’s go to the Pleasant Lady. They serve a version of Jian Bing. It’s like a savory crepe with egg, salad and meat and chinese crackers. I think you’ll like it. We can get some to go and eat it at home. You know what Loki, why don’t you and Thor head home and I and Zaaroc will get the food? We’ll even buy some ice-cream. You have got to try ice-cream! Oh and ice lollies too! I know a great place where you can get all kinds!”

Loki frowned at her friends. They had practically vanished during this trip to the museum and were now sending Loki and Thor ahead of them. It was beginning to feel like they wanted Thor and Loki to spend time alone. Loki shrugged, she didn’t mind, “Alright. You go ahead. You know all the places better anyways. We’ll head back. If it’s alright with you Thor? Loki turned to Thor who stopped glaring at Zaaroc and nodded at Loki.

They all made their way out of the museum. Zaaroc and Jane called a cab and headed to buy food. Thor and Loki headed back home. On the way back Loki put her head on Thor’s shoulder. The moving motion of the car was nice. She was tired, it lulled her into a semi nap. Thor gently nudged her when they were back home. Thor opened the door and Loki stepped out of her boots, vanishing them and her coat back into the pocket dimension. Thor removed his shoes and jacket as well and Loki absentmindedly stored them in the pocket dimension too.

Thor went to the kitchen and poured some water for Loki and himself. It had been a good day. From waking up beside Loki to seeing the museum with her. It had been so long since they spent time in each other’s company without something hanging over them. It was nice. Aside from that one hiccup where Nicholas tried to woo Loki. In a museum of all places! Thor scoffed. How desperate. 

“Please stop glaring at the water. It’s making me nervous.”, Thor looked up at Loki now back in his male form. He realized he was indeed staring way too hard at the glasses 

“Right. Sorry. Here. I thought you might be thirsty.” Thor handed a glass of water to Loki who smiled at him gratefully. 

“Yes. Thank you.”, Loki drank all the water in one go and Thor refilled the glass for him. “I enjoyed the museum. It was nice. You know I could sense faint traces of sedir from many of the exhibits.” Loki sat at the dining table, stretching his long legs out in front of him and crossing them at the ankles.

Thor sat beside Loki with his own glass of water and hummed, “It is interesting. A few days ago I would have said Midgard can never hope to understand sedir but the humans surprise me. It’s a shame they have such short lives. They are so diverse and innovative. Our people could learn so much from them.”

Loki nodded, “Indeed. Although one could say that it is the short life span that drives them to innovate more. They want to leave their mark and have limited time to do it. Our long life span tends to sap away the desire to explore.”

“Perhaps”, Thor conceded. “It depends on the person though.” Loki nodded, sipping his water. Thor wanted to say something, “Loki? Can I ask you a question?”

“You just did.” Loki smirked at Thor and waggled his eyebrows. Thor rolled his eyes, “Stop it. I’m not playing that game with you ever again. I’m serious. Can I ask something?”

Loki stopped smirking and nodded seriously. “Yes of course. Anything”

Thor bit his lip, “Was it really alright? Me calling myself your fiance. I didn’t overstep did I?”

Loki rolled his eyes, “No Thor. Of course not. If you overstepped I would have told you. That was the deal we made right? That if we are ever uncomfortable with anything we will tell each other.”

Thor nodded, “Yes we did. But I just wanted to make sure. So….for our relationship….on Asgard...we will probably have to be closer. Hugs are not an issue and of course we will be in the same room that’s not a problem either….but what about kisses?...I...don’t...I mean…..” Thor trailed off not sure what he was trying to say himself.

Loki put a hand on Thor’s over the table, twining their fingers and leaned in kissing Thor’s cheek again. Thor looked just as startled as he had earlier. Loki pulled back a little but was still close enough that Thor could feel his breath on his face when he spoke. “Is this alright?” 

Thor could only nod dumbly. Loki was so close. His lips so very near Thor’s. Thor almost leaned in unconsciously drawn to Loki. But Loki pulled back, keeping their hands entwined but looking neutral. “Then we have no problems. Like I said before no one expects you to sleep with me in the public square. A little intimacy goes a long way for a royal.”

Thor realized what he had almost done. He blinked and straightened his back. He was feeling too warm again. He cleared his throat which suddenly felt dry as a desert. “Uh...right. I mean you’re right…” Damn it Thor get a hold of yourself! Thor rubbed a hand over his face and took a deep breath. “I mean yes I think this will be fine…”

Thor cast his thoughts looking for another topic. Any topic. Thankfully the front door opened and he could hear Jane and Zaaroc step in. Thor stood up. “Oh It’s Jane and Zaaroc. I’ll go help them…..carry the food…” Thor retreated from the kitchen.

Loki watched Thor run like a scared little possum and giggled at his back. Poor Thor! Loki was having too much fun with this. But he needed something more elaborate. Loki suspected Zaaroc and Jane had caught on to Thor’s feelings and were trying to get them together. It was sweet of them. He should corner them and they could all plan together. The scene earlier in the museum had been nice. Seeing Thor all possessive made Loki hot under the collar. He shifted in his seat. He should work a plan along those lines. Loki got up to clear the glasses as he heard Jane, Zaaroc and Thor walk in with many packets of food. Jane hurried and put all the ice-cream in the fridge so that it didn’t melt.

She was somehow still energetic. Loki pulled out plates for everyone, while Thor and Zaaroc unpacked all the food. Jane grabbed some cutlery and they all sat down to eat. The conversation flowed easily. Loki liked the Jian Bing, it had a sweet undercurrent to it and had a balance of vegetables and meat. Just the way he liked it. Thor and Jane chatted away, comparing the various exhibits they saw, with Zaaroc interjecting occasionally mostly to harass Thor. Loki shook his head, some things never changed. This was nice though. Loki hadn’t felt such camaraderie in a long time. He sat and ate quietly, happy to listen to the others chat. He did not feel left out like he had previously with the Warriors Three and Sif. 

After they had eaten and cleared away the plates, Jane looked excited again, “Zaaroc go fetch the ice cream and some...no a lot of bowls and spoons. We have to try everything!”

“Why can’t Thor do it? He’s going to get flabby if all he does is sit and eat.”, Zaaroc complained.

Loki rolled his eyes, “How about we both go and fetch the ice cream.” He got up and pulled out some bowls and spoons, leaving the ice cream to Zaaroc.

Loki sat back down at the table and Zaaroc put various tubs of ice cream on the table. He also fetched a strange large spoon whose mouth was rounder and deeper than other spoons. Jane opened all the tubs and Loki saw different colored substances inside them.

Jane used the strange spoon and began taking out the ‘ice-cream’ in the bowls. “Ok. I got a bunch of different flavors. There’s Mint Choc Chip and Salted Caramel and Coffee, Chocolate and Vanilla and Pistachio...oh I love that one. There’s also a vanilla and honey ice cream.”

Loki perked up at the mention of honey and Zaaroc handed him a bowl of that ice cream first. Loki pulled the bowl close to himself and took a small bite. His eyes widened in surprise. It was...it was...perfect. It was creamy and sweet and cold. This was the most perfect food Loki had ever eaten. Loki ate all the honey ice cream and pulled the bowls with other flavors to try them as well. Chocolate was too heavy. He pushed that bowl towards Thor, who shook his head at him. Vanilla was nice. Pistachio was silky and slightly nutty. He didn’t mind the chocolate in the Mint Choc Chip. It was mild in that one. He wasn’t a fan of the Salted caramel one so he pushed that towards Thor as well.

But his favorite was the honey ice cream. Loki pulled the entire tub towards himself and growled at Thor when he tried to scoop some of it in his bowl. “Oh come on! I ate all the chocolate and salted caramel ice cream for you. Just one bite. I haven’t tried this one yet!”

Loki dug a spoon in the tub and held out the bite Thor wanted. Thor ate it from his hands, rolling his eyes, “Why thank you. How generous of you.”

Zaaroc laughed and even Jane giggled. Loki pulled the tub towards himself, narrowing his eyes at Thor. There were other flavors, Thor could eat those. Jane pulled Zaaroc’s arm. “Oh! Go get the ice lollies. I bet if Loki likes the honey ice cream he will love the blueberry, honey and yogurt ice lolly.”

Zaaroc pulled out various brightly colored packets from the freezer and brought them over, opening one and handing Loki the ice lolly Jane had suggested. Loki had a spoon of the honey ice-cream in his mouth. But the ice lolly looked good. He set the spoon aside and took the lolly from Zaaroc’s hand, wondering how to eat it. Jane picked the mango lolly and sucked on it. Loki imitated her. His eyes brightened. This was even better than the ice cream, the berry and honey flavor reminded him of his mother’s tarts. Loki licked the ice lolly, putting it in his mouth as much as he could and sucking on it happily. He turned to Thor to tell him to try one. Thor was looking at him with his mouth open, his spoon held midway to his mouth, the ice cream dripping from it.

Loki looked at him confused, swirling his tongue around the lolly and sucking on it again. The spoon fell from Thor’s hand clattering on the table. He got up almost knocking his bowl off the table, “Uh….I….I...just remembered….that...uh...I want to go to the bathroom!”

Thor rushed out of the room, looking a little flushed. Loki stared after him still confused. He looked at Jane and Zaaroc who appeared to be choking on air, “What did I do?” Loki sucked on his lolly again and Jane and Zaaroc fell off their chairs laughing.

TBC….

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Of course Loki's most seductive act is the one where he doesn't even realize what he is doing and how it looks  
> Also Jane totally had this in mind when she bought the ice lollies. She's nice like that.  
> 


	31. The Norse Trap (part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of alcohol induced confessions......

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for explicit content....

Thor shut the door of the bathroom and banged his head against it. He could hear laughter from downstairs and Loki inquiring what he did. Thor flushed as he remembered Loki’s tongue poking out to lick the lolly all over before sucking on it, his lips red from the juices of the lolly. Thor groaned and adjusted his jeans. Norns! He felt hot all over. His cock was hard. He couldn’t get the image of Loki wrapping his lips around the lolly out of his head. He pressed a palm against his cock, trying to will the erection away.

But Loki’s face kept popping up in Thor’s head. Loki with his pretty lips and big green eyes. He would look so good with his mouth wrapped around Thor’s cock. Thor groaned again. This was not the time! Loki was just downstairs! His cock throbbed and Thor popped the button on his jeans, pulling the zip down, sighing in relief.

He closed his eyes and pushed the fabric of the boxers aside, freeing his cock. He was leaking. Thor swiped his thumb over the head and spread the pre-come over his cock to slick the way. He rubbed his hands up and down his cock, imagining Loki doing the same. Maybe Loki would follow it with his tongue. Wrap his pretty red lips around the tip of Thor’s cock and suck just like he had sucked the lolly. Sweat beaded on Thor’s brow as he imagined Loki taking his cock in his mouth and down his throat. Thor could feel his blood pumping downwards. He rubbed his hand faster. Just a little more…

Loki gripped the edge of the table as he felt another wave of lust come over the bond. Just what in the world was Thor doing!! Jane and Zaaroc had cleared the table, after picking themselves off the floor. Now they were chatting as they washed the dishes. Loki was eating his honey flavored lolly, when he felt the first pulse of lust from Thor. This time it did not fade away but instead turned to pleasure warming Loki’s blood. He could feel the heat in his groin.

Norns! Loki stood up and hurried to their room, locking the door behind him. He sat on the bed, bent at the stomach as another wave of pleasure came over the bond. Loki was panting now. His clothes felt too warm. His cock was hard. He could feel his blood boil. Loki groaned and laid back on the bed, his feet still on the ground. He pushed a palm against his cock to try and relieve the pressure but it was no good. 

Loki glared at his erection. Damn it! Was Thor really pleasuring himself right now?!! Loki rubbed a hand over his face. He had two choices. He could wait for the waves of pleasure to pass...or he could ride them into oblivion. The good decision would be to wait them out. Loki did not make good decisions. He pushed his trousers down, just enough to free his cock and balls. He pushed himself further up their bed till his head was on a pillow and took his cock in his hand. 

Norns! That felt so good! The pleasure doubled. Loki’s own pleasure mixing with Thor’s till he couldn’t tell the difference. Loki did a small spell and his hand slicked with oil. He rubbed his hand up and down on his cock adding a twist in the upwards motion and thumbing his slit. Pre-come leaked from the head adding to the oil and slicking Loki’s hand even more. Loki imagined Thor’s hand on his cock. He could feel Thor’s pleasure. He pictured Thor stroking his cock, fondling his balls. Loki groaned. Thor would look so good between Loki’s legs, watching him as he stroked Loki’s cock. Maybe he would use his other hand to push Loki’s thighs apart. Loki buried his head in the pillow muffling his moan as he imagined Thor using his strength to pin Loki down. His hand moved faster on his cock as he imagined how good it would feel to have Thor on top of him.

Loki could feel Thor’s pleasure cresting. In response Loki’s pleasure crested too. Loki stroked his cock one more time before he came. He sighed and closed his eyes, panting as he came down from the high. Loki buried his head in the pillow and wondered what had just happened. Thor had definitely pleasured himself and through the bond Loki had felt it and his own lust had overwhelmed him. He absently waved a hand to clean the mess of oil and cum from his clothes, hand and the bed. Loki slid his trousers back up and laid down on the bed, his arms spread. 

Thor groaned as he felt his pleasure double suddenly. He stroked his cock faster, picturing Loki on his knees in front of him, Thor’s cock in his mouth. Damn. That was hot. Thor imagined how good Loki’s throat would feel around his cock. Tight, hot and wet. Thor muffled his moans, covering a hand over his mouth and stroking his cock as he came. Thor leaned his head against the door. The wood was cool in contrast to his warm skin. He had made a mess. Thor looked around and used a small hand towel to wipe his cum off the door and his hands and clothes, dipping it under the tap and running water over it. He splashed some water on his face to cool himself off. 

Thor rubbed his face. This was not right. He should not be here pleasuring himself to the thoughts of his brother. Loki probably didn’t even know what he looked like. He was just enjoying his ice-cream. It was Thor who was a degenerate, who twisted an innocent act for the sake of his own depravity. Then another thought crept in Thor’s mind. The bond! Thor felt horror creep in his stomach. No...Oh Norns no...had Loki….had Loki felt Thor….the thought was too much to bear. Thor sank down to his knees. If Loki felt….Thor found it hard to breathe. Damn it! Everything was going so well. How could Thor...he ruined everything. Thor wrapped his arms around his knees and put his head on them and rocked himself. Thor had ruined it….he had ruined everything.

“Thor!” Thor startled and looked up. He could hear Loki knocking on the bathroom door. “Are you alright Thor? I can feel your panic over the bond. Are you ok? Open the door.”

Loki didn’t sound angry or disgusted, he sounded worried. Thor rubbed a hand over his face and composed himself, quickly opening the door before Loki decided to break it. “Loki? Hey. Sorry I didn’t mean to alarm you. I am fine. Everything is fine.” Thor noticed Loki was wearing his night clothes now.

Loki tried to peer around Thor, but he blocked his way. Loki frowned at him rubbing his eye with a fist and yawning, “I finished my ice cream and came back to our room to sleep. I had fallen asleep when I felt your panic. Are you sure you are alright?”

The relief Thor felt was overwhelming. Loki didn’t have a clue what Thor had been doing. Thor almost melted, “Yes. Yes. I’m fine. Just….saw a strange insect. I think it’s called a cockroach. It startled me. That’s it. Everything’s fine.”

Loki smirked at him. “Oh poor mighty God of Thunder afraid of an insect.” Loki pinched Thor’s cheeks, “Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone your secret’s safe with me. Come on time for bed. You can sleep beside me. I’ll protect you from all the creepy insects”

Thor couldn’t help but roll his eyes at Loki though there was a smile on the corner of his mouth. Loki always knew what to say to make Thor feel better even when he didn’t actually know what was wrong. 

Thor followed Loki back to their room. Loki had already picked the left side of the bed. The blanket was half on the floor from where Loki probably ran in his haste to get to Thor. He felt bad about that. Guilt was crawling in Thor’s stomach but he pushed it down. Loki might sense it. Thor pulled out his pajamas and Loki picked the blanket off the floor and sat on the bed. Thor quickly changed his clothes while Loki fluffed his pillow and laid down, wrapping the blanket up to his chin and snuggling in. Thor switched the light off and climbed in behind Loki, turning on his side facing Loki, careful to keep some distance between them.

Loki too turned on his side facing Thor, “Oh. We are meeting Freyr and probably Freya too right now. I was waiting for you to tell you that but then I fell asleep. We won’t take the whole night. We need sleep too. With the bond now a full soul bond, we must both be in agreement to allow people to communicate with us. Hela might contact us tomorrow or the day after. She said she wanted to wait some extra time so that my soul is well settled in my body.”

Loki’s eyes were dropping, his hair falling on them. Thor automatically reached out to brush it away and Loki smiled at him sleepily. “Alright. So what do I have to do to give permission to Freyr and Freya? Anything specific?”

Loki yawned again, “No. Just let them in when you feel the nudge. That’s all they need. Same for Zaaroc. Alright I am going to close my eyes now. See you in a few minutes.”

Thor smiled at Loki and stroked his hair till Loki’s breathing deepened. He looked so peaceful asleep. Thor’s hand stilled. Damn it! He was doing it again. He was looking at Loki like a lover. Thor got lucky today. Loki was tired and sleeping, so he hadn’t noticed the pleasure?...lust?...Thor’s emotions which were probably pouring over the bond. He won’t be so fortunate next time. He needed to get a hold of himself.

Thor turned on his back looking at the ceiling. This was it’s own kind of torture. Having Loki so close but not being able to truly reach out to him. But Thor would take this over Loki being dead a thousand times over. Thor closed his eyes and let Loki’s breathing lull him to sleep. He felt a slight nudge as Loki had described and allowed it in. 

Thor found himself back in the room with the round table that he now recognized as Freyr’s dreamscape. He was sitting at the table, Zaaroc was on his left. Loki was on his right. Freyr and Freya were both sitting in front of them. They were looking at Loki. Freyr got up from his place and came around to stand beside Loki. Freya did the same. Loki got up and Freyr and Freya both hugged him.

“It is good to see you Loki.” Freya pulled back and stroked Loki’s cheek. “We thought you were lost forever.”

Freyr pulled back too, putting a hand on Loki’s shoulder, “Yes. We thought we might never see you again. It is good to see you.” Freyr tightened his grip on Loki’s shoulder, “Next time there is a life changing revelation, you come to us. Don’t suffer alone. You are not alone Loki. We are your family by bond if not by blood. We will never turn you away”

Loki looked overwhelmed, “Thank you Freyr, Freya. Truly. For your kind words and for reaching out to Thor. I don’t think I would be here if you hadn’t taken the risk to reach out to him”

Freyr smiled at Loki, sitting back down, “We were always going to tell Thor the truth. I had hoped to do it with Frigga beside me. But it is not to be. But we would not have let Thor live in Odin’s lies his whole life.”

Freya sat back down as well, “Yes. And the risk is worth it Loki. The truth must come to light. It has been hidden long enough.”

Loki nodded gratefully, “So I take it Zaaroc has brought you up to date with everything? Have you set your people in Asgard for our plan to put Odin in a coma?”

Freyr and Freya looked at each other before Freyr turned back to them, “Yes. We have sent people under the pretence of trade. But….there is some news. A new development…..”

Freya pulled out a piece of paper from thin air and handed it to Thor. Loki read it too.

_ ‘Dear mother, _

_ Father’s health is getting worse. He is coughing blood now. I am worried for him. Please come back home soon. _

_ Holger’ _

Thor looked at Freyr, “Is this...Odin is coughing blood now? Are you saying he has contacted some kind of disease?” Thor was not sure what he felt about that

Freyr shook his head, “No. He is simply paying the price of his own actions. I talked with Svol about this. The spells from Muspelheim that Odin has been using are a dark form of magic. He has unknowingly been serving the Great Fire Demon Auroch. There was a reason Muspelheim stopped using this kind of magic. Auroch always extracts the price for the power he gives. Odin is almost at the end of his life. Without the Casket he cannot restore his sedir and renew his life. It is time to pay Auroch his dues. Auroch is bound in an eternal prison. A dimension sealed, where no being in the nine realms can go physically. But the soul can pass through the barriers. Auroch is pulling Odin’s soul towards himself. To do what Odin himself has done to many others. Consume it. Putting him in a coma will buy him some time but won’t stop the inevitable from happening.”

In other words even if Odin had died before they could do something about him, his soul would never have known peace. He was never meant for Valhalla 

Freya put her hands on the table, “There is no cure. There is no spell, no magic that will help Odin now. He is coughing blood at the moment. But it will get worse. Auroch likes to torture his prey. The more pain the better. Odin’s organs will start failing. One by one. His limbs will stop working. His body will reject all food, all medicine, his sedir will turn against him. Really putting him in a coma is a mercy now.”

Loki wanted to feel bad, but he really didn’t. Odin had sentenced Loki to thousands of years of solitary confinement. Loki knew how he would have slowly gone mad. It was a cruel punishment. Odin showed no mercy to Loki. Why should he feel any remorse for Odin now? But Loki was more concerned about Thor. He looked at Thor.

Thor was crumpling the paper in his hands, his brow furrowed. Then he scoffed, “Huh. Well I suppose even Odin can’t escape the consequences of his actions. He did this to himself. He is paying the price for it. Not our problem. We go ahead as we always planned.”

Nobody at the table protested that. Zaaroc put his arms on the table. “Well I am going to stay a little longer on Midgard after Loki and Thor have gone. Aroa wants my help with some things. And I want to erase the information one of the secret organizations on Midgard have about Thor and Loki. It came up in conversation with Dr. Foster. She has had bad experience with this particular organization and I don’t think even Thor likes them.”

Thor nodded, “Yes. They are called SHIELD. I don’t like them. During the invasion their leader actually had the gall to suggest I let them torture Loki for information.” Thor clenched his fist. “I do not like them at all.”

Loki had not known that. He knew Director Fury sent the Widow to manipulate Loki but his memories of the invasion felt like a dream. There was a certain detachment to them. They didn’t feel completely like Loki’s memories. He did not know Fury suggested they torture Loki. It wouldn’t have worked. Fury couldn’t hope to be as creative as the beings who had sent Loki to Midgard. Besides there were few metals on Midgard strong enough to pierce Loki’s skin. Unless Fury planned on setting that green beast on Loki. He shuddered at that thought.

Thor misinterpreted it. He turned to Loki, “I disagreed Loki. I never would have agreed. Never. No matter the crime. Torture is a disgusting practice. There is no justifying it.” Thor covered Loki’s hand with his own. Loki twined their fingers and nodded.

Freyr spoke up, “We will have to keep an eye on this...organization then. You make sure to erase all information they have Zaaroc. And then set our own spy among them. Someone from Aroa’s order. This organization is probably a threat to them as well.”

Zaaroc nodded, “Yes. I’ll talk with Aroa. I have a feeling she’s been keeping an eye on them. But we need a more hands on approach”

Loki decided to bring up his own point, “I have chosen a form that I will use on Asgard. I think going with a female form is the best. I can say I am one of the ladies in waiting for you Freya. One exceptionally talented in healing. Thor and I have decided to say that we met when he accidentally poisoned himself on a hunt in Vanaheim. The one we came to alone without the Warriors Three and Sif.”

Zaaroc perked up, “Oh you mean the one where Thor behaved like a child picking up anything and everything? Yeah I remember that one. It was so funny I laughed for a week. Imagine how it would have sounded! The Crown Prince of Asgard died by rope.”

Thor closed his eyes in defeat. He was never living that one down. Even Freyr and Freya were trying and failing to hold back their amusement. Loki was the only one not impressed. He looked about ready to give Thor another lecture about what an idiot he was. “Yes! Fine! Don’t pick up random ropes in the forest. I get it! Can we please move on?”

Loki looked like he was about to rant anyways but then he crossed his arms and chose to pout instead. Freyr cleared his throat, “Well anyways. That is good Loki. Have you thought of a name for this form? And would you mind showing it to us so we can describe it to all the people that will be making up your ‘family’ on Vanaheim?”

Loki nodded and straightened his back, “No I don’t mind at all. Thor suggested the name Ilvana. I like it. But I need help with the family name. Saying that I am a lady in waiting means it has to be one of the noble families of Vanaheim.” As Loki spoke, green light washed over him and he transformed to Ilvana’s form.

Freya smiled at Loki, “Very nice Loki. I like the hair. It’s very hard to tell it’s you, which is what we want. I was going to integrate you in a noble family anyways. I had a few family’s names but looking at the features of this form and the shade of hair, I think it’s best if I say you are the daughter of Dolph Trygve. His wife Helga has green eyes so it will be even more believable that you are their daughter. They do not have any children of their own. Dolph is well respected on Vanaheim but not that known among the Aesir. The nobles on Asgard would not know whether or not he has children. We can say you are his daughter and provide the documents to prove it and there will be no reason to suspect it.”

Thor bit his lip, “It just occurred to me, Hogun might know about Dolph. Won’t he object to Loki’s sudden appearance?”

Freya shook her head, “Don’t worry about Hogun Forberg. I had a very strict conversation with his father. Hogun has been called back to Vanaheim and he shall remain there for the foreseeable future. I am monitoring all of his communications. No harmful information from him will reach Asgard. You have my word.”

Thor nodded gratefully, “Thank you aunt. Loki and I have decided to return to Asgard separately. A day before Odin will succumb to the coma, Loki will travel to Vanaheim. Then when I return to Asgard I will tell Heimdall I have sent a letter to a friend who is a very good healer to come look at Odin. Heimdall will look out for Loki and bring her to Asgard. We felt it would look more natural that way.”

Freyr nodded, “Excellent idea Thor, Loki. It would indeed be very suspicious if Loki suddenly appeared beside Thor without warning. I think the initial plan is all sorted. Our spies in Asgard have been alerted and are just waiting for our signal. The potion I have prepared takes one day to come into effect fully. It will make Odin appear fatigued and feverish. That will help sell the idea that he is resisting the Odinsleep. I will inform you once it has been administered. Pack everything and be ready. We must not delay anymore.”

Loki nodded, “Yes agreed. Now I wanted to discuss one more thing. About Hela. Zaaroc must have informed you already but I wanted to elaborate. Odin has used twin spells on Hela. One is a spell to bind powers. That is what the chain is. The other is a spell to bind slaves. The ownership of the slave can be transferred to the next of kin and we plan to trick Odin into making Thor the next ‘owner’ but I still want us to search for an alternative. Just in case.”

Freyr and Freya both nodded in agreement. “Yes of course Loki. We had the same thought”, Freya reassured. “We have already conveyed this to Svol. He has all of his mages searching for an alternative. We are looking as well. We will figure it out.”

Loki nodded. Freyr clapped his hands, “Well I think that’s it for now. You should return. You need to rest. Zaaroc send my regards to Aroa and tell her I want to speak with her personally one of these days. Loki it was good to see you hale and hearty. Keep in touch.”

Freyr and Freya hugged Loki one more time. He hugged them back thanking the Norns once again for giving him another chance. Thor smiled happy to see Loki had people who actually cared about him. Freyr and Freya waved at Thor as the dreamscape dissolved. Thor closed his eyes and felt himself fall back asleep. 

On Midgard in their bed, Loki and Thor unconsciously drew closer to each other. Thor wrapped his arms around Loki and drew him closer tangling their legs under their blanket. Loki sighed happily in sleep and buried his head in Thor’s neck, putting one arm around Thor’s waist and folded the other to his chest and shuffled closer. The bond hummed happily between them.

Loki woke up first the next morning. He was warm. Loki snuggled in the warmth. It felt good. He could hear a heartbeat under his ear. Oh. Thor. Loki pulled back slightly and studied Thor’s face. He looked so peaceful asleep. Loki gently traced Thor’s eyebrows. Thor had panicked yesterday after their mutual masturbation. Not that Thor knew it was mutual. 

Loki should have seen it coming though. Thor was always protective of Loki. He was afraid that he was going to hurt Loki with his unwanted feelings. He did not know his feelings were not only welcome but also returned. Loki slowly untangled himself from Thor, careful not to wake him. Thor immediately rolled onto his stomach sprawling to cover the space Loki emptied. Loki smiled at him fondly. He could tell Thor was not that deeply asleep. He might wake up soon. 

An idea popped in Loki’s mind. He opened the door of their room and tilted his head. He could hear Jane downstairs. He searched for Zaaroc’s sedir. He was downstairs too, probably in the living room. Perfect. Loki went to the bathroom and stripped. Turning on the shower and stepping under it. He had a pretty good understanding of the bond by now. He gently nudged it. He could feel Thor waking up. Good. Loki took a washcloth and soaped himself up. He could hear Thor’s footsteps. He hadn’t locked the door. He turned towards the wall pretending he was not paying attention. His back faced the glass door of the shower. Loki used cold water so there was no steam on the glass to obstruct the view. 

Thor sniffed as awareness slowly came back to him. He hugged the pillow and buried his head in it, sighing. He hadn’t slept this well since before Loki’s fall. Thor frowned something had woken him but now that he was awake he couldn’t tell what it was. Thor sighed and sat up on the bed rubbing his eyes and scratching his beard. Loki was nowhere to be seen. Thor could hear movement downstairs. Maybe Loki had gone down already.

Thor shrugged. He might as well take a shower and head downstairs as well. Thor picked a new shirt and picked up his jeans from the chair where they were folded. He headed for the bathroom. Thor absently wondered how Zaaroc planned on erasing the information SHIELD had. He would have to ask later. Thor opened the bathroom door and froze.

Loki was in the bathroom. No. Loki was in the bathroom in the shower bathing. He was covered in soap and had his back turned to the door which gave Thor the perfect view of his back and his ass, right down to his long legs. Thor swallowed. Loki stepped under the spray of the shower to wash off the soap and Thor watched mesmerized as water flowed over his back and down between his ass cheeks. Too much. This was too much. Thor couldn’t look away. His mind screamed at him to retreat.

Loki was turning around now. Thor had to leave. If only he could remember how to walk. Thor tried to back away and hit his hand on the door frame. He winced as Loki turned around startled.

“Oh! Thor!”, Loki put a hand over his heart. “You scared me!”

Thor had a very clear view of Loki’s entire front body now.  _ ‘Don’t look at his cock. Don’t look at his cock. Don’t look at his cock’ _ Thor repeated over and over in his mind. Loki stepped out of the shower reaching a hand for one of the towels and Thor fucking squeaked. Like a mouse.

Loki looked amused. He wrapped the towel around his waist and rolled his eyes, “Really? You have seen a cock before haven’t you. Don’t you have one too? I worry about you sometimes brother. All those years of head injuries, maybe you should get it checked. See if everything is working properly”

Thor knew he should respond. Instead of standing there like an idiot trying to breathe right. But he couldn’t think of a single thing to say. Loki stepped into his personal space and closed his mouth which Thor now realized was open. 

“Well it’s all yours. I’m going to put some clothes on and head downstairs for breakfast. Don’t use up all the water.”, Loki pat Thor’s head and pushed past him out the door. Thor kept standing there wondering what in the world had just happened.

Loki tried to hold his laughter in as he made his way back to their room. Poor Thor was still standing in the door of the bathroom. He seemed to have forgotten how to move. Loki closed the door of their room locking it and bit his fist trying not to laugh too loudly. He didn’t want to tease Thor so much. But it was so funny to see Thor, his confident brother, stuttering and fumbling everytime Loki so much as breathed too close to him.

Loki conjured a dark green tunic and trousers rubbing the towel in his hair before discarding it in the laundry basket. This harmless teasing was all well and fun but Loki needed something more. He had to push Thor to an edge until he had no choice but to fall off it and into Loki’s arms. For that Loki needed help. And he knew just where to find it.

Loki finally heard the bathroom door bang shut and snickered some more, before deciding to head downstairs and recruit his friends. He hummed to himself as he made his way downstairs. He was in a good mood. He poked his head in the kitchen and found that Zaaroc had moved there and was sitting at the table eating an omelette. Jane was reading something off her tablet. An empty plate and cup beside her. She must have eaten already.

“Good Morning!” Loki greeted cheerfully. Jane looked up from her tablet smiling when she saw it was Loki, “Oh Hey! Good morning. There’s still egg in the pan and some bread if you want.” Jane pointed to the stove and Loki nodded gratefully. Zaaroc waved at him with his fork.

Loki rolled his eyes at him. He took a plate and loaded eggs on it, taking two slices of bread to go with it and sat beside Zaaroc. “So…” Loki began casually. “How long have you two been scheming to get me and Thor to confess our feelings? hmm?” Loki took a bite of his eggs while Zaaroc choked and Jane spluttered for an excuse.

“Uh….I don’t know what you are talking about. Right Zaaroc? We haven’t been doing anything.” Jane tried to look innocent. 

But Zaaroc sighed he knew it was no use. Loki wouldn’t bring this up unless he was sure it was true. He put his fork down, “Loki….look we were not interfering or…”

Loki waved a hand dismissively, “No. It’s fine. It took me a while to figure it out because the bond is so new, but I can feel Thor’s emotions. I know his feelings cross the boundaries. Mine do too. They have for a long time.” Loki was nervous. He had never admitted how he felt for Thor out loud to anyone.

Zaaroc put a hand on his shoulder, “Hey...you don’t have to be embarrassed or ashamed. What you and Thor do behind closed doors is nobody’s business except yours. We are not going to judge you or shun you. We’re happy for you. Really. There is no one more suited to Thor than you and the same is true for you too. You both complete and complement each other. No one can take that away.”

Jane nodded in agreement, “Yeah. I agree. You don’t even realize it. But you are always in each other’s space and you can tell what Thor is thinking by just looking at him and he understands your moods so well. I don’t think it’s just the bond either. It feels like you have always been like this. You click. Like two pieces of a puzzle that fit together.”

Loki thought it was too early in the day to be crying but he was overwhelmed. “Thank you. Both of you. But I need a little help…” 

Zaaroc snorted and Jane rolled her eyes, putting her tablet on the table. “Oh it’s more than a little. You need a big neon sign to make Thor understand you feel the same for him as he does for you. I mean honestly.”

Zaaroc nodded, “Yes. Maybe we should do that as a last resort. I had something else in mind that we could try today.” 

Loki leaned in curious. Zaaroc looked at Jane, “Do you know any clubs or places where there is dancing and alcohol?”

Jane tapped her chin, “When I was living here I wasn’t really big on going to a club but Darcy loved it. She mentioned a club...OYO? No..XOYO. Yeah that’s it. She said it was one of the best clubs to go to. We can go there tonight. But we need to go shopping first. I don’t have a good dress for night out at the club and neither does Loki.”

Loki frowned. “I told you before I have dresses. I don’t need more. You can take Zaaroc with you if you want. I’m not coming”

Jane rolled her eyes, “I’ve seen your dresses and you can probably magic one if you want but sometimes it’s nice to actually physically go and buy a dress. We don’t have to go to a mall if you don’t like the crowd. We can go to a boutique. Come on Loki. Pleaaaaase. Just imagine how fun it would be to ask Thor’s opinion on all the dresses! Pleeeease. Plus I don’t think you know what kind of a dress people wear in a club”

Loki tapped his chin. “Fine. We can go. But if I don’t like it then I’ll come back and wear something from my collection.”

Jane nodded enthusiastically, “Yes of course! Let’s go after breakfast. Where is Thor anyways?”

Loki couldn’t help the smile that came over his face, “Oh he’s taking a shower. I’m sure he’ll be here soon.”

True to Loki’s words, Thor was indeed downstairs a few minutes later, looking a little flustered. He wouldn’t meet Loki’s eyes. Loki shoved Zaaroc, forcing him to sit on another chair. Thor sat beside Loki staring more at the wall behind Loki than his face. “There are eggs on the stove if you want some. Oh and Jane has convinced me to go shopping after breakfast. Apparently clubs require a special kind of dress. We are going to one tonight.”

Thor blinked, before shrugging and nodding. He grabbed a plate and piled all of the remaining eggs on his plate and grabbed a few slices of bread, sitting back down and eating silently. Zaaroc frowned at his weird behaviour but let it go for now. He was done with his breakfast. He cleared the table and put all the dirty utensils in the dishwasher. Thor ate quietly and quickly and put his own plate and fork in the dishwasher. 

He still looked awkward when he approached Loki, “Um….Loki? I think my jacket and shoes are still in your pocket dimension. Can you fetch them please?”

Loki nodded and waved a hand. Thor’s jacket and shoes appeared. Thor put on his shoes and wore his jacket and turned to Jane. “I am ready to leave whenever you want.” Thor sat back down beside Loki staring resolutely at the table. Loki raised one eyebrow and changed his form. Today she decided to go with a green shirt and pants. She let her hair remain open.

Jane stood up. “Alright. It’s...uh...11 o’clock so all the shops will be open. We can go now I guess.” Jane shrugged and Zaaroc frowned again. 

Thor nodded and left the kitchen, without a word. Zaaroc pointed at his back, “Is he alright? That was way too silent for Thor, God of Loud Noises.”

Loki frowned at Thor’s back. Had she gone too far with the teasing? She knew Thor still felt guilty about his feelings for her. Maybe she had pushed too hard. “I don’t know. He’ll be fine. Maybe he just needs some fresh air.” Loki will corner Thor and talk to him.

Jane, Loki and Zaaroc made their way to the door, where Thor was waiting, looking a little lost in thought. Loki conjured her coat and boots and stepped beside Thor, “Shall we?”

Thor nodded and opened the door, taking Loki’s hand and leading her out. Zaaroc and Jane looked at each other confused. Zaaroc called cabs for them and Jane gave the address of a boutique she knew. It was on a street with other boutiques so they won’t have to roam around too much. Zaaroc and Jane got in one cab and left. Thor went to the other cab but Loki stopped him from climbing in.

“Thor? Are you sure you are alright? You….you don’t have to come if you don’t want to….it’s alright. Is this about today morning? It was an honest mistake. I should have locked the door. I’m sorry….”, Loki was feeling really guilty about this morning now. Thor was clearly more affected than she thought he might be. The bond was also strangely silent. She didn’t like it.

Thor turned towards Loki, seeing her almost in tears. Damn it! Now Loki was upset even though she’d done nothing wrong at all. Thor stepped up to Loki cupping her cheeks with both hands, “No. You did not do anything wrong at all. I could have knocked. I’m sorry. My mind was just a little preoccupied. It’s nothing to worry about. Don’t trouble yourself. Alright?”

Loki nodded, sniffing. Thor kissed her forehead, “Alright. Now come on, smile. Let’s go. Jane must be so excited for you to try the dresses.”

Loki groaned, “Oh! Don’t remind me! I have told her strictly that if I don’t like it I will leave immediately.”

Loki stomped to the cab and got in. Thor smiled at her a little wistfully. He thought about the ‘incident’ today morning. It felt like too much of a coincidence. Thor waking up at the exact moment Loki was in the shower. Maybe..He shook his head to clear his thoughts. He would think about it later. He couldn’t let his thoughts affect Loki or their dynamic. Thor got in the cab and they headed for their destination.

Loki got out and stood on the curb in front of a shop. ‘Dress 2 Party’ was the name of the shop. Jane and Zaaroc waved them over. Loki narrowed her eyes as Zaaroc held the door open for her. Inside the shop had nice cream walls. The lights were soft. There were many racks with many dresses on them. There were also small sofas for people to sit and a board that pointed to a few inner rooms called the ‘Trial Rooms’ and ‘Waiting Lounge’

Loki was confused. She didn’t know where to begin. A slim blonde woman walked up to them. ‘Rachel’ read the tag on her shirt. “Hello. Welcome to Dress 2 Party. I am Rachel. How can I help you today?”

Jane spoke up from beside Loki, “Hi! We are actually looking for party dresses. We’re planning a night out at the club.”

Rachel smiled, “Yes of course. Are you aware of your dress size or would you like to try a couple of the standard dresses to get an idea of the size?”

Jane thought about it, “I know my dress size as per the US measurements. It’s size 6. Sorry I don’t know what measurement that is as per the UK standards.”

Loki decided to give her own opinion, “I have no idea what a dress size is. Don’t you have a tailor to take measurements?”

Rachel frowned at her as Jane laughed awkwardly, “Ha! She’s just kidding. She usually has all her dresses custom made, so she’s a little clueless about the readymade measurement standards. But we’re in a bit of a hurry. So...”

Rachel smiled back a little warily, “Well that’s not a problem! Let me see…” Rachel gripped Loki’s shoulders, turning her this way and that and tapped her chin in thought. “I believe your friend is US size 4, which would be a UK size 8. Yours would be size 10 as per the UK standards. You can try a couple and if the difference isn’t much we can alter them. We do have an in-house tailor.”

Rachel looked behind Loki, at Thor and Zaaroc and her whole face lit up. “Hello”, she smiled brightly, a little too brightly in Loki’s opinion, “Are you here with the girls? We have a waiting lounge by the trial rooms. You can read from our selection of magazines.”

Zaaroc seemed relieved at that information, but Thor looked once at Loki questioningly. She nodded. Thor shrugged, “Sure. We’ll be there if you need any help Ilvana, Jane.”

Jane smiled at Thor, “Thanks Jake. I think we have it handled.” She turned to Rachel. “Rachel, which section should we look at first?”

Rachel pointed them to one corner of the store and Jane pulled Loki towards it. There were many dresses mostly in some shade of red, blue, green or black. Then there were dresses that had some sparkle to them. Loki didn’t think the thread was actual gold like her mother’s dresses used to have, but they imitated it well. She was still confused and didn’t know where to start.

Fortunately Jane noticed her confusion, “Oh. Sorry. Uh….I’ll help you pick something yeah?” Loki nodded gratefully. Rachel pointed out the right sizes and Jane handed Loki three dresses. A greenish blue dress that was backless and had a slight shimmer to it. A deep red dress with a v neck and a gold silver dress with full sleeves and sparkly threads.

Rachel pointed Loki in the direction of the trial rooms and told her she could try the dresses on there. Loki stepped into one of the ‘rooms’ and closed the door latching it. She saw hooks to hang the dresses. How was one supposed to change clothes in such a small space? Were there no servants around to help Loki?

Loki frowned and tapped her chin lookin at the dresses. In the end she decided a little magic would do the trick. She decided to go with the sparkly gold dress first. Loki snapped her fingers and she was now wearing the dress. There was a mirror behind her, but she wanted another opinion. What had Jane said? Ah. Yes she could show the dresses to Thor.

Loki stepped out of the trial room and found the lounge, Thor was supposed to be in. He was sitting on one of the sofas all alone. Zaaroc was nowhere in sight. Loki frowned at the magazine Thor was reading. ‘Homes & Garden’ Loki shook her head, “Jake? Hey! Jake?”

Thor looked up realizing he was supposed to be Jake. Loki was standing in front of him. She was wearing a gold colored dress that stopped at her thighs, showing off her long legs. Thor looked up at her face. She looked uncomfortable. “Uh...it’s nice?” Thor wasn’t sure how to respond. “Loki you don’t have to buy a dress just because Jane says so. You can wear the ones you have, it’s alright.” 

Loki shook her head, “No. It’s not that. I think the fabric is irritating my skin.” The gold threads were prickly. Loki didn’t like them. “I just wanted to show you the dress. Jane picked out three for me to try. Where is Zayne anyways?”

Thor pointed behind Loki, “Oh he’s with Jane over there. He didn’t like me commenting on the house decor in the magazines. He said I had no right to be critical of other people’s interior designing when my own room had so much gold it hurt to look at the walls.”

Loki looked behind her to see Zaaroc asking Rachel something. Probably harassing her. “Oh. Well he does have a point.” Thor looked like he was going to protest. Loki cut him off. “I am going to try another dress. You sit here and don’t move.”

Loki went back to the trial room and snapped her fingers again going for the red dress. This one had better fabric. But Loki had felt real silk on her body. This mock imitation couldn’t compare. She also felt like the neck was too deep for her taste. Not this one then. She snapped her fingers and changed into the last one. 

This dress had a soft fabric on the inside, which Loki liked. The color was unique. It left Loki’s arms bare. There were thin strings that Loki tied criss cross across her back. They held the front of the dress in place. It was glittery but not too much. Loki liked this one. She wanted to show it to Thor.

Loki stepped out and went over to Thor. He was reading another magazine. Loki cleared her throat to get his attention. Thor looked up and stared at Loki, “How about this one? Do you like it?”

Thor looked at Loki’s dress. It was longer than the last one but not by much. It left Loki’s arms completely bare. Loki turned around and Thor dropped the magazine he had been reading. The dress had no cloth on the back, except for a few strings that criss crossed and were tied in a bow. Thor could see the muscles in Loki back move as she looked over her shoulder at Thor. His hand itched. He wanted to run it over Loki’s back. Feel those muscles under his hand.

“Well?” Loki asked, “What do you think? I like it. I think I am going to buy this one.” Thor nodded dumbly. Loki smiled brightly at him and practically skipped back to the trial room. Thor’s reaction was worth coming to this horrible little shop. Loki snapped her fingers and changed back into her original clothes. She carefully picked up all the dresses and made her way over to Jane who was trying to shoo Zaaroc off.

“Zayne! Go back and sit with Jake and let me shop in peace. Nobody cares about having uniform dress sizes in all the countries. Honestly!”, Jane looked angry. Rachel seemed to not understand what to do with herself.

Loki stepped smoothly in between Jane and Zaaroc. “Jane, I like this blue-green dress.” She turned to the collection of dresses beside them and picked one, “Here this light pink one will look great on you.” Jane took the dress from her hand happily. Loki turned to Zaaroc, “Zayne stop being a nuisance and go fetch Jake we are done here.” Zaaroc shrugged and left. Loki turned to Rachel, “Rachel. I like this blue-green dress. Package it for me would you dear? And hand the bill to Jake. He will pay you for your services. Thank you.” Loki shoved the dresses at her without waiting for a response, pulling Jane towards the trial rooms.

Jane smiled at Loki as she was dragged, “You are very good at giving orders. I see all those years at the palace paid off”

Loki smirked, “Oh yes. I always used to help mother handle the visitors. She was even more efficient at running the palace. Giving the right orders to the right people at the right time. That’s the key. Now go try this dress on.” Loki shoved Jane inside a trial room and closed the door. 

In the end, Jane did like the dress Loki had picked out. It was a full sleeved dress with lace work that stopped just above Jane’s knees. It was a little plain for a club, but Jane didn’t like flashy dresses anyways. It suited her. They bought the dresses. Rachel smiled too brightly at Thor until Loki glared at her. They all stepped out.

Zaaroc looked at the time on his phone,”Huh. Well that took only an hour and a half. That was fast. Are we done already?”

Jane shook her head, “No! I still have to buy shoes and earrings or some other jewellery. Oh! And I need a clutch to carry my phone and wallet. We are not done”

Zaaroc looked like he was going to make a run for it. Thor rolled his eyes and grabbed his arm, “Come on. It will be fine. We can read more magazines.”

A pair of shoes and some earrings and a clutch somehow turned into several pairs of shoes and many earrings and way too many kinds of purses and a few more dresses and Jane insisting Thor and Zaaroc also needed clothes for the club. Before they all knew it was tea time already. Loki actually enjoyed shopping with Jane. Zaaroc complained about feeling like a slave but Thor seemed happy enough to follow them around. He looked thoughtful several times during the day but Loki couldn’t get him to tell her what he was thinking about.

“Wow! Time just flew by didn’t it? I haven’t shopped like this in so long”, Jane had one arm linked with Loki’s as they walked down the street. 

“No. Time absolutely did not fly by. It felt like an eternity”, Zaaroc’s voice was a little muffled by all the shoe boxes he was carrying piled on top of each other, “Can we please go home now?”

Jane stuck her tongue out at him not that he could see it. “Fine. I am tired and hungry. Let’s just order some pizza and rest a little before we head out to the club”

“Thank the Norns! Thor quick hail a cab before Jane changes her mind!”, Zaaroc motioned at the road as best as he could.

Thor who was carrying several bags in his hands rolled his eyes, “It was not so bad. I liked it.” Thor hailed two cabs nevertheless. Jane helped Zaaroc put the shoe boxes in the cab and Loki helped Thor with the bags. They all reached home and carried all their things inside turn by turn. Once the door finally shut, Loki stored her and Thor’s things in her pocket dimension and Zaaroc did the same with his. Jane carried her things to her room. They all freshened up and ordered some pizza and decided to sit in the living room. 

They all ate pizza and chatted. Jane regaled tales of her time in college. Loki in turn told stories of some of the mishaps that had happened over the years as she experimented with sedir. Jane found the story about her accidentally turning Thor into a frog hilarious. She said Loki should have kept him like that and they could all have called him Thorg. Zaaroc loved the idea and refused to say Thor’s name properly the whole evening. Thor was not amused. Jane had already gotten them all passes for the club online. Sometime around seven thirty, they all decided to get ready.

Thor offered Loki their room while he changed in the bathroom. Loki wore the dress and contemplated how she should keep her hair. She wanted to show off the back of the dress but didn’t want to tie her hair up all the way. In the end she decided to go with a half up, half down hairdo. Jane had convinced her to buy some ‘ballerinas’ in the same shade as her dress. Loki slipped them on. She decided to wear emeralds on her ears. She looked at herself in the mirror one more time, satisfied with her look.

Thor knocked on the door lightly, “Loki? Are you ready? Can I come in?”

Loki vanished the mirror and opened the door for Thor. He was wearing a dark grey t-shirt with a deep maroon blazer that Loki had picked out for him. His jeans were a dark navy blue and he was wearing his shoes. His hair was gathered back in a ponytail. He looked handsome.

“Yes. I am ready.” Loki brushed some lint off Thor’s blazer, “This looks good. You look good.”

Thor smiled at her, “Thank you.”, He tucked a strand of Loki’s hair behind her ear. “You look beautiful as well. Shall we?”

Thor offered his arm and Loki linked her’s in it. They both went down the stairs together and saw that Zaaroc and Jane were ready as well. Jane was wearing her pink dress with some nude colored heels. She had left her hair open. Zaaroc was wearing a plain white shirt with a deep blue blazer and jeans. They all headed out and got cabs to the club. Outside the club Jane cut the queue and showed the passes on her phone to the security guard and they all went in.

Loki looked around the huge room. It was dimly lit, almost dark with bright colored lights flashing in time with the loud music that was playing. People were dancing in the middle. Only it was not the kind of dancing Loki was used to. It looked….provocative. She saw a bar with various drinks and pulled Thor towards it. There were other people at the bar and two bartenders. One was a guy with pale skin and tattoos on his neck. He had black hair with purple highlights in them. The other was a girl with short black hair and pink highlights. She had some kind of jewelry on her nose. Loki liked it.

The male bartender came towards Loki and smiled at her, “Hello. I am Noah. What would you like to drink? We have many specialties. I would recommend a Blow Job. Though the Circle Jerk is also a good choice to start the night with” 

Loki could tell by the tone that the names had double meanings but she didn’t get it. Actually she had no idea what the strongest drink would be to order. The normal ones would be like water for her. Jane had come up at the bar with Zaaroc. Loki tapped her chin, “Give me the strongest drink you have.”

Noah nodded, “All right one Sex on the Beach coming up.” He turned away. Loki blinked in surprise unsure she had heard that correctly. Beside her Thor growled angrily. 

Jane stepped between them, pushing at Thor’s chest. He looked about ready to grab Noah by the neck. “No. No. That’s the name of the drink. Don’t attack the bartender.” Thor looked at Jane confused. Jane explained, “It’s just a name. A lot of clubs do that. They give inappropriate names to their drinks. Don’t take it seriously.”

Thor huffed and turned towards the crowd, putting his elbows on the bar and looking at Noah out of the corner of his eyes. Loki put her elbows on the bar mirroring Thor’s posture and looked at the crowd as well. “This is not the kind of dancing I was expecting, when Jane suggested this trip.” 

Thor nodded, “Me neither, I don’t even think it qualifies as dancing. It’s more like...I don’t know….”

Noah returned with Loki’s drink. “Here you go. It’s very strong so don’t drink it in one go.”

Noah handed her a tall glass with a sort of pink colored drink and a lemon wedge on the rim. Loki shrugged and drank it all at once. It was strong for a human. Loki was not human. 

Noah looked surprised. “Wow. A girl who can handle her drink. I like it. Do you want another? Or shall I bring something else. Perhaps a vodka shot?”

Jane answered for Loki, “Yes. Please four...no eight vodka shots and keep them coming. These three have high tolerance for alcohol.” Jane motioned to them all. Noah nodded and put eight shot glasses in front of them in a row. Then he poured a drink that looked like water in them all. Jane handed two glasses to Loki and Thor each. “Here try this. It’s stronger than the cocktails.”

Loki and Thor looked at each other and shrugged. Emptying both glasses one after the other. This time Loki did feel a burn in her throat. This was a stronger drink. Noah looked surprised again. Jane stumbled a little but put her glasses back on the bar. “More!”

Noah kept pouring the vodka and Thor, Loki and Zaaroc kept drinking it. Zaaroc stopped Jane from drinking more when she began talking about seeing two of him. Thor pulled out a flask of mead from his blazer and poured it in their glasses when Noah wasn’t looking. Loki drank it. She was beginning to feel a buzz. She smiled dopily at Thor who smiled back. The people dancing were beginning to look appealing now.

“I am going to dadce-dance! I am going to dance!” Loki announced slamming her glass on the bar a little too hard. She didn’t wait for a response, making her way in the crowd. There was a man with long blonde hair dancing by himself. Good. Loki liked blonde haired men. Loki walked up to him. “You! Dance with me” Loki put the arms of the man around her waist and began swaying like the other women she could see dancing.

The man looked startled at the pretty woman suddenly in his arms. But he smiled at her. “Well Hello. I am Jack. Nice to meet you…?”

“Ilvana”, Loki replied. “Enough chit-chat. I want to dance.” Jack shrugged and wrapped his arms around Loki’s back more firmly and swayed against her. Loki liked it. This was nice. She was warm from all the heat in the room and the drinks. This felt good. Jack slid a leg between Loki’s thighs and pulled her closer. In the haze of alcohol Loki liked it even more.

Suddenly someone pulled her harshly and she felt an arm wrap around her waist. The grip was like iron. Loki looked up to see it was Thor. He looked angry. Really really angry. 

Jack protested at Loki suddenly being pulled from him, “Hey! What the hell man?! What is your problem?!”

Thor ignored him and looked at Loki. He was angry at her too. “We are leaving. You have had too much to drink. You don’t know what you are doing.”

Thor did not wait for her response simply dragging her with him outside. Jack’s protests fell on deaf ears. Zaaroc waved cheerily from the bar, Jane leaning heavily against him. Some of the guards looked at Thor suspiciously. They looked ready to step in and help Loki.

“Hey!”, Loki protested, “Lemme go. I was fancing! You are supposed to be my finance! You should let me do what I want!” Loki was still drunk and spoke some of the words incorrectly.

Thor rolled his eyes. The guards stepped back, realizing how drunk Loki was. Thor hailed a cab and pushed Loki in, giving the driver the address of their house. The driver took one look at Loki who complained about the room being too small and shrugged letting Thor get in. They drove back home, Loki complaining about Thor being a big meany the whole time. 

At their doorstep, Loki leaned against Thor. He looked so handsome in this getup. She hugged him sideways and ran her hands all over his torso. Thor dropped the house keys. When he bent to pick them up Loki admired his ass. Thor looked startled and she realized she was speaking out loud. Thor managed to open the door and pulled her in, shutting it behind them.

In the hallway, Loki shifted back to her male form. Because he was drunk, he managed to conjure his trousers but forgot his tunic. Loki shrugged it was too warm anyways. He hugged Thor again, “Thoooor! You look so good in this...this….clothes.” Loki giggled, trying to pull Thor’s shirt up and out of the way. He wanted to feel Thor’s muscles.

Thor didn’t know what to do. Loki had looked so good in that dress. That man at the club had been touching her too much. Loki was so drunk he didn’t realize it. Now he was trying to get Thor’s clothes off him for some reason. Thor tried to catch Loki’s wandering hands, “Loki stop. You are drunk. Come on let’s go to bed. Stop it.”

Maybe going to the club had been a bad idea. Or more to the point maybe adding mead to Loki’s drinks had been a bad idea. Loki pouted, “No! Don’t wanna sleep! Too warm! You wearing toooo many clothes. Off!”

Thor struggled with Loki who managed to get Thor’s blazer off him. “Loki! Stop it!” Thor finally managed to get his hands around Loki’s wrists and pull them off of him. He carried Loki over his shoulder and up the stairs to their room.

“Hey! Put me down! Put me down!” Loki hit his fists in Thor’s back, “You such a meany!”

Thor rolled his eyes and dumped Loki on the bed, “Shut up. And stay there. It’s time to go to bed.”

Loki pouted again, but then fingered the blanket on the bed, “Soft….” He liked it. He pushed himself on the bed and Thor sighed in relief. He forgot Loki did not drink as often as the rest of them, his tolerance for mead was not very high.

Thor turned towards the door and found that it was closed. He turned the knob and it wouldn’t open. He heard snickering from behind him. Thor sighed in defeat. He turned back towards Loki and saw him sitting on the bed cross legged.

“Ta-da!” Loki cheered loudly, “I fooled you!” Loki looked so happy about it. Thor couldn’t help but smile. Of course drinking brought out the mischievous nature in Loki.

Thor conceded, “Alright. Alright. I give in. You got me.” Thor knelt before Loki beside the bed. “How may I serve you my Prince?” Thor said with a flourish.

Loki giggled but then his face became serious. He tapped his chin in thought, “Hmmm….I know! I wanna suck your cock!”

Despite being on his knees Thor somehow stumbled and hit his head on the bed frame. He looked at Loki shocked, “Wh-what?!!”

Loki crawled on top of Thor forcing him on his back on the floor. Thor tried to push him but Loki ground his ass against Thor’s cock over his clothes. Thor groaned, banging his head against the floor. Loki leaned in his face, “I want to suck your cock. I want to taste you. I have for a long time now.”

That made Thor pause. What was Loki saying? Thor couldn’t breathe, “Wh-what are you saying Loki?” It couldn’t be….

Loki dragged his nose along Thor’s jaw and whispered in his ear. “I keep thinking about you all the time. You and your warm smile and your warmer hugs. You are so nice to me. So kind. You fought so hard for me. Brought me back from the dead. How could I not love you? How could I ever love anyone else?” Loki almost kissed Thor, but Thor turned his head at the last second and Loki lips found his cheek instead of his lips. Loki tutted at Thor but then buried his head in his neck.

Thor had no idea what was going on. What was Loki saying? He was trying to kiss Thor! What was happening?!! It couldn’t just be the mead. Loki knew it was Thor. His brother. Then why was he… Loki was still hard too. Thor could feel his erection against his thigh.

Thor clenched his eyes shut. Maybe it was one of the drinks at the club. Maybe they had something that was causing this….reaction. Loki wrapped his arms around Thor. Thor warily wrapped his arms around Loki’s back. 

Loki sighed. This was nice. He wanted to say that out loud. “This is nice. I like this. You and your arms around me. I feel safe. Loved.”

The tension left Thor’s body. This he could deal with. But then Loki spoke up again, “I like sleeping with you. I love how you feel beside me. When we were younger I used to imagine that you know. When I pleasured myself at night. How it would feel to have you against me. On top of me. Your weight pinning me down as we both sought our pleasure. I came with your name on my lips so many times...”

Thor pushed Loki away again. He got off the floor and grabbed Loki’s arm dragging him to the bed and pushing the covers aside, shoving him down. 

“Hey!” Loki complained. Thor ignored him, grabbing Loki’s legs and putting them on the bed, tucking the covers back against him. 

“Stop fucking saying all these things and fucking go to sleep!” Thor glared at Loki. This time Loki looked cowed. He nodded meekly. “And open the bloody door while you are at it!” Loki moved his fingers and Thor heard the door lock unlatch. Loki was blinking at him with wide eyes.

Thor sighed and shook his head. He knelt down beside Loki and stroked his hair to soothe him, “Look Loki. You are drunk ok? You don’t realize what you are saying. Let’s talk in the morning alright? You’ll see. You will have changed your mind by then”

Loki nodded, his eyes still wide but then spoke up, “And what if I haven’t changed my mind? What if I still want you in the morning?”

Thor rubbed his eyes. He couldn’t think about this right now. “Well then we’ll talk about that in the morning. But for now you go to sleep alright?”

Loki thought about it and then nodded. Thor stroked his hair till he fell asleep. Once he was sure Loki was asleep, Thor went back downstairs. He picked his blazer off the floor in the hallway and sat at the kitchen table, his head in his hands.

What the hell happened tonight?!! Freyr had told Thor that emotions could not be created by the bond but….maybe he was wrong? Or….maybe Loki really did want Thor like he said…….. Thor pulled out his flask of mead and took a big gulp. He looked at the time. It was eleven o’clock and Zaaroc and Jane were still nowhere to be seen. 

Thor contemplated if he should go to bed. No...he couldn’t. If Loki really….if he really returned Thor’s feelings then…..Thor would be the happiest person in the Nine realms. But if this was just some strange drunken outburst then…..No….Thor needed some distance.

Thor took another gulp of the mead and decided to sleep in the spare room. They were in the same house. The bond would be fine for one night. As Thor lay down to sleep, he prayed to the Norns that whatever happened tomorrow, Loki may stay in his life.

TBC….

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! This chapter took a lot of thought  
> It is obvious from Loki's words that his feelings did not spring up out of the blue but it's hard for Thor to digest. Don't worry. Hungover Loki is even more blunt.


	32. A Surprise Visitor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> of heart melting confessions and friends with terrible timing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so nervous about this chapter....I have no idea if I got the character interactions right......but here goes.....

Loki woke up slowly the next morning. His head throbbed and he felt like he hadn’t slept at all. Loki groaned and put his pillow over his head. What even happened last night? Loki remembered going to the club and drinking. He remembered wanting to dance but then it was a blur. How did he end up here? Loki sighed and sat up on the bed, noticing that he was just in his trousers. Thor was nowhere to be found. Loki tilted his head and searched for Thor’s sedir, surprised that it seemed to be coming from the bedroom downstairs.

Loki frowned. He rubbed his forehead and got off the bed yawning and stretching. He conjured his tunic and decided to head downstairs and make some tea. Loki entered the kitchen to see Zaaroc at the stove waiting for water to boil in the kettle and Jane with her head on the table groaning.

“Good morning”, Loki greeted, heading to the cupboard to see what kinds of tea they had. 

“Not so loud”, Jane whimpered. “I have an orchestra in my head. I’m never drinking again..”

Loki winced as his own head throbbed when he closed the cupboard a little too hard. He turned to Zaaroc. “Where is Thor?”

Zaaroc looked at him surprised, “Uh….he’s not with you? I thought he was still sleeping upstairs with you.”

Loki frowned. He left the kitchen and headed for the room from which he had felt Thor’s sedir. The door was unlocked, when Loki poked his head in he saw that Thor was sitting on the edge of the bed looking lost in thought still wearing last night’s clothes. It occurred to Loki that the bond was strangely silent again.

“Thor?”, Loki stepped into the room. Thor looked up at him. Whatever he saw in Loki’s face made him dejected. Loki felt a flare of sorrow over the bond. Loki tried to understand what was happening. But it was hard to think with his head pounding. It was something he had done, he was sure of it. But what? Loki closed his eyes and searched his memories. What did he do last night? Then it suddenly came back to him. Loki dancing with that man….Jack. Thor pulling him away. Them coming back. Loki saying he wanted to suck Thor’s cock. Loki on top of Thor practically confessing he loved Thor.

“Oh.”, Loki looked at his feet. He couldn’t believe he actually behaved like that. This was not how he wanted Thor to find out about Loki’s feelings for him. “Um...Thor….I…”

Loki felt another wave of sorrow over the bond. Thor shook his head at Loki and stared at the wall in front of him, “It’s alright Loki. It’s fine. You were drunk. I am not going to hold it against you. It was probably the drinks at the club. I guess you know then….about my feeling for you…..I’m sorry….if it makes you uncomfortable…..I’ll leave….we can figure out a way to maintain the bond over a distance….you don’t have to stay….”

Loki thoughts screeched to a halt. What was Thor trying to say? He stepped into the room and stood before Thor, “Uncomfortable? About what? What would I be uncomfortable about? So I got a little drunk and said some things in a way I didn’t really want to. I wanted to do it right and I fucked up. I went about it all wrong. But I’m not uncomfortable. And what’s all this nonsense about maintaining the bond over a distance….I don’t quite understand what you are trying to say….”

Thor rubbed a hand over his face, “I mean….I know you know. About how I feel about you…..I don’t want you to be uncomfortable….I can leave….I’ll leave….please don’t mock me like last night.”

Now Loki was angry. He narrowed his eyes, “Oh. I see. I know I keep calling you an oaf but it doesn’t mean you actually have to behave like one. Do you really think so little of me that the only conclusion you come to is that I was mocking you? What you thought ‘Loki found out I want to fuck him and decided Ha! that’s funny. Disgusting. But also funny. Let me make a joke about it and belittle Thor! I’ll say I want to suck his cock and then the next morning I’ll act as if it was all a drunken rambling. I’ll have Thor hope I return his feelings and then stomp over it. It’ll be so funny to see his heartbroken face!’ Is that how you really believe I would behave?”

Thor winced and looked down at his feet, “And what else am I supposed to believe?”

Loki knelt down in front of Thor and put a hand on his cheek, “How about you believe this. I would never belittle you like this. I respect your feelings Thor. I don’t care if they are supposed to be wrong. I would never ever mock you like this. Never.” Loki bit his lip, “Especially….especially when I feel the same about you…”

Thor looked at him with wide eyes, “Wh-what d-do y-you m-mean y-you fe-feel t-the s-same a-about m-me…?”

Loki pressed his forehead to Thor’s, “It means I love you. It means I am in love with you. I have been for a long time. I don’t know when I stopped looking at you as just my brother. When I started to wish we were more. That we could be more. I only know that I want you. I want you as my lover. I want you to look at me and see a partner. A mate. I want you to kiss me. I want you to make love to me. I want to be by your side always till the end of time….”

Thor couldn’t believe his ears. But he couldn’t deny Loki’s words. Not when he could feel Loki’s love pouring over the bond. A strong steady river in which Thor could drown. He cupped Loki’s cheek and brushed a thumb over his lips. Loki shivered. Thor was mesmerized as the bond sparked with Loki’s arousal. Loki was speaking the truth. He loved Thor. In every way. In the way Thor loved him.

Thor couldn’t hold back. He pulled Loki up and into his lap and pressed his lips to Loki’s in a soft kiss. Loki parted his lips and kissed Thor back. It felt divine. Thor moved his lips against Loki’s slowly. The bond thrummed with both their emotions. Thor could feel heat pool in his stomach slowly.

He pulled back. He wanted to say something before they got lost in the haze of lust. Loki whined as Thor pulled back and opened his eyes. Thor was looking at him like he was the most precious thing in the universe. It made Loki blush. Thor traced the marks on his cheeks and Loki realized he had reverted to his Jotun form.

Thor looked into Loki’s eyes, now a ruby red instead of their usual emerald green. His cheeks were a shade of Indigo as he blushed. He was the most beautiful being Thor had ever seen, “I love you too Loki. I want you by my side. I always have. I couldn’t imagine a life without you. And then I lived it. It was horrible. It was empty. The palace, the throne, the people, the wealth, they were all meaningless without you by my side. I would give it all up in a heartbeat if it meant you will be with me forever. I want you beside me in this life and in the next. In every reality, in every universe and in every world.”

Loki was overwhelmed he had no words. He blinked the tears from his eyes and hugged Thor wrapping his arms and legs around him. Thor hugged him back. The bond hummed between them. Something about it had changed, shifted. It felt deeper, more permanent. The bond had strengthened. Thor and Loki basked in its hum.

A knock interrupted them. Loki winced, his headache making a comeback. He put his head on Thor’s shoulder and closed his eyes. Thor rubbed his back. He looked up to see it was Zaaroc. He had his arms crossed and was smirking at them.

“Finally. Took you both long enough. Well actually it took only one trip to the club. You should have seen Thor. He had smoke coming out of his ears when you went dancing, Loki. It’s already 11 though. I think it’s a little late for morning sex. And can you please use the upstairs room I sort of, kind of sound proofed it. The bathroom too actually. Maybe I should do that with all the rooms...” , Zaaroc appeared to be thinking about it.

Thor looked at his half brother in disbelief, “When did you have the time to do it? Why did you even do it?”

Loki groaned, “Please not so loudly. My head hurts. Zaaroc be useful or go away. You are ruining the moment.”

Zaaroc looked mock offended, “I’m heartbroken! I thought I meant more to you than this! How could you Loki?!!”

Loki sent a dagger in Zaaroc’s general direction without looking. Zaaroc ducked out of the way, “Ok! Ok! Fine! Leave the stabbing for Thor. It’s his thing anyways. Fine! I made you tea to help relieve the headache. I thought you might want it. It's a recipe Freyr taught me.”

Loki was up and out the door in a flash, leaving Thor to stare after him. Zaaroc smirked at him, “There is a cup for you too if you want. Now if you’ll excuse me I won a bet and have to collect my prize from Jane once she starts behaving like a person again. At the moment she’s a puddle of groans.”

Thor blinked as Zaaroc sauntered away. Then a huge smile broke out on his face. Loki loved him! Loki had kissed him! Thor spun around happily. He quickly made his bed and picked his blazer off the floor, hurrying to the kitchen. 

Loki was sitting at the table, back in his Aesir form, a cup of tea in his hand. Jane was indeed groaning periodically with her head on the table. Thor sat beside Loki, kissing his cheek. Relishing the fact that he could do this now without fear. Loki smiled at him broadly and kissed his cheek as well.

Zaaroc set a cup of tea in front of Thor and Jane, “Oh Jane…” Zaaroc sing-songed. “Look, it's magic tea. Come on, drink it. It will make the big bad headache go away”

Jane groaned and looked up rubbing her eyes, only half opening them. She pulled the cup closer to herself and took a small sip. Her eyes brightened as the tea brought instant relief to her raging headache. She took a bigger sip from the cup. “Oh this is great!” She turned to Zaaroc who was sitting with his own cup of tea. “You are my bestest friend! I love magic!” Jane happily drank her tea.

Thor shook his head, “When did you two even get back? I slept at 11 in the night and you were nowhere to be seen.” Thor sipped his own tea

Zaaroc shrugged, “Well Jane drank one vodka shot too many and decided she wanted ice cream. So we went to an ice-cream parlour. Because she didn’t want just any ice-cream, she wanted a cone. Then she insisted she needed to exercise and so we literally walked back. We returned at around two o’clock.”

Jane flushed. She remembered demanding loudly at the club that they should serve her ice-cream with sprinkles. “Uh….yeah….I remember that….not my best moment………”

Loki waved a hand dismissively, “Oh it’s fine. At least you are not like Thor. He once got drunk and decided he was going to become a goat farmer. At night. In an inn. He actually tried to buy the inn to turn it into a safe and loving home for Melda, Esmeralda and Gorm. The goats he was going to purchase.”

Thor rolled his eyes, “Like you were any better. You once got drunk and tried to animate a book. When it didn’t work, you actually tried to shapeshift yourself into a book. Only you were too drunk and didn’t manage it. So you sat there and cried about how the poor book was going to be lonely its whole life.”

Zaaroc spoke up, “Well we all do stuff when we are drunk.” He turned to Jane. “Come on pay up I won.”

Jane frowned at him over the rim of her cup, “Won what?”

Zaaroc pointed at Thor and Loki, “The bet. I told you the club would do the trick and it did. I won. Now pay up.”

Jane put her cup down and looked at Thor and Loki. Thor turned Loki’s face towards him and kissed him on the mouth. They both looked at Jane.

She squealed, “Oh! Finally!” Jane got up and hugged them both, “Oh! I am so happy!” She sat back down, “We should celebrate!” Jane turned to get up and fetch some wine

Zaaroc grabbed her arm and pushed her back down on her seat, “Please no more alcohol. We are literally trying to get over yesterday’s drinking.”

Jane sat back down pouting, but then brightened again, “But really I'm so happy for you both!”

Loki smiled at Jane, “Thank you Jane.” He had finished his tea. He turned and saw that Thor was done with his tea as well. Loki got up, taking Thor’s hand and pulling him with him, “Now if you’ll excuse us, we are going to shower.” Loki pulled Thor upstairs

In the background he heard Jane ask “Did he just say ‘we’?” and Zaaroc complaining, “I didn’t need that image in my head!”

Loki snickered. He pulled Thor with him into the bathroom and backed him against the door after making sure it was locked. He pushed Thor’s shirt up, “Come on off”

Thor smirked at him as he pulled his shirt off, his hands immediately on Loki’s tunic searching for the ties and unfastening them. “You too. Come on”

Then Thor was kissing Loki again. Loki pulled his tunic off and stepped out of his trousers without breaking the kiss. Thor pulled his hair out of the ponytail and wrapped an arm around Loki’s waist pushing him back and into the shower stall. Loki fumbled with the jeans Thor was wearing. He broke the kiss to glare at them getting fed up with it and simply snapped his fingers making them disappear. 

Thor chuckled and turned the knob for cold water, pushing Loki under it. He followed Loki and pressed him against the wall of the shower kissing him under spray of water. Loki opened his mouth and Thor pushed his tongue inside tangling it with Loki’s. They both groaned in pleasure.

Norns! It felt so good! Thor explored Loki’s mouth as he ran his hands over Loki’s body. Loki moaned when Thor grabbed his ass. His cock was hard and leaking. Loki traced the flat planes of Thor’s stomach and moved one hand down to stroke his cock. It was long and hard and thick. Thor broke the kiss to pant, burying his face in Loki’s neck and lightly biting the skin there.

Thor’s hand found Loki’s cock and stroked it in time with Loki’s strokes on his own cock. Loki mouthed along Thor’s collar bone. Thor’s other hand found Loki’s nipples and twisted them. Loki moaned, banging his head against the wall. Thor’s lips replaced his fingers on Loki’s nipples and Loki panted as he came. His grip on Thor’s cock tightened and Thor groaned as he came too. They both stood in the shower panting as they came down from the high. The cold water soothing against their warm skin.

After a few minutes Thor picked up the shampoo and lathered it in Loki’s hair. Loki purred happily as Thor’s fingers gently massaged his scalp. He took a washcloth and soap and rubbed it over Thor’s body, careful to be gentle with his cock which would be sensitive. Thor rinsed the shampoo out of Loki’s hair and took the washcloth from his hands to soap up Loki as Loki took some shampoo and massaged it in Thor’s hair as Thor had done for him. Thor washed his hair and they both rinsed the soap from their bodies. 

They stepped out of the shower and took the towels off the racks drying each other, giggling and laughing. They wrapped the towels around their waists and made their way back to their room, hand in hand. Once the door closed they were kissing again, hands roaming over each other. The bond was humming with their combined pleasure and they couldn’t get enough of each other. Thor pushed Loki on the bed and had crawled halfway on top of him when Loki’s stomach rumbled. Loki glared at his stomach.

Thor laughed and dropped his head on Loki’s stomach, kissing it. “I see that you are hungry. Come on let’s get some food in you and we can come back to bed.”

Loki pouted, but realized he hadn’t eaten anything last night. He was actually hungry. Thor was already up, dropping his towel, looking for his regular jeans. Loki sat up on his elbows and admired the view as Thor bent down to pull another shirt from his bag. His stomach rumbled again and Loki sighed, getting up. He unwrapped his own towel and snapped his fingers conjuring a black tunic and some black trousers. He picked up Thor’s towel from the floor and put it in the laundry basket along with his own. The clothes were piling up in it. Loki will have to ask Jane how to wash them.

Thor and Loki headed back downstairs and looked in the kitchen. Zaaroc and Jane were nowhere to be found. There was a plate of food on the dining table and a note under it. Loki had no idea what the strange squares were so he went for the note.

_ ‘Dear newly christened lovebirds, _

_ I and Jane are going to the library, then we will be visiting the Big Ben, then the Tower Bridge etcetera etcetera You get the point. We will be home for dinner. If we are not don’t wait up _

_ Enjoy _

_ Your totally amazing brother  _

_ Zaaroc’ _

They had the house to themselves for the entire day. How nice of Zaaroc and Jane! Thor fetched some cutlery and syrup and sat down on the table, patting his thigh. Loki understood the implication. He sat down on Thor’s lap and wrapped one arm around his shoulder, whispering in his ear, “So lover we have the house to ourselves. Hurry up and feed me. I want to fuck you and I want you to fuck me” Loki ran his tongue over Thor’s ear

Thor shifted in his seat, his jeans feeling a little tight. It was so good to hear Loki call him lover. He drew the plate of waffles closer and poured some syrup on it. He cut a piece and held it out for Loki. “These are waffles. They are like pancakes but crispier on the outside and light on the inside like doughnuts. I think you’ll like them”

Loki wrapped his lips around the fork and pulled the piece of waffle in his mouth, making sure to lick between the twines of the fork to get all the syrup. He moaned at the taste. Thor swallowed. He could feel his cock swell again already. He slowly fed the waffles to Loki, occasionally taking a bite himself. Loki’s other hand ran up and down his chest and lightly over his nipples over the shirt. By the time the waffles were gone, Thor was hard again. Loki was looking at him through hooded eyes. He waved a hand to vanish the utensils on the table and turned to sit fully in Thor’s lap. He was about to kiss Thor when they heard someone knock on the door.

Thor and Loki looked at each other frowning. Thor was confused, “I thought Zaaroc said he and Jane won’t be back till dinnertime.”

Loki stood up immediately and shifted to his female form, her tunic and trousers transforming to a black dress. She turned to Thor, a little panicked. “Zaaroc and Jane have the key to the house. They don’t need to knock. And even if they did Zaaroc would say something to alert us it is them”

Thor felt like a bucket cold water had been poured over his head. He was no longer aroused, he felt the same panic Loki did. “Then who is….” Whoever it was knocked again, louder this time. 

Loki rubbed her palm with her thumb, “Go you open the door. I will be here in the kitchen. We can’t let them keep knocking.”

Thor stood up and nodded, heading for the door. He opened the door and blinked in surprise. It was Dr. Stark. He was wearing a t-shirt that had ‘Black Sabbath’ written on it with grey blazer and grey pants. He had his usual glasses on and was tapping away at his phone. Thor looked behind him to see a bright red car parked a little crookedly parallel to the footpath.

Tony looked up to see one very confused Point Break. “Hey Point Break! How’s it going? Good? Great? I gotta say I didn’t see you as the type of guy to like this whole white picket fence house thingy. But hey no judgement. Soooo I take it you had a change of plans?”

There was no response. Thor kept blinking at him. Tony waved a hand in front of his face, “Hellllloooo! Thor? Are you in there?” 

Thor seemed to come back to himself, “Sorry. Sorry. Uh….why don’t you come in Dr. Stark..”

Tony frowned at Thor. JARVIS had played Thor's call for him and it had actually been Dr. Foster who had called Tony. She called him Dr. Stark, so Tony assumed maybe Thor followed her example for that call. But he was still calling him Dr. Stark. Tony was touched. Nobody called him that anymore. 

Tony shrugged and stepped inside the house. He had done a background check on it. It belonged to a Mrs. Hughes and was rented by a prominent Norwegian historian Lucas Dahl almost permanently. Why and how Thor came to live here was a mystery. Something was going on. 

Thor led Tony to the living room. JARVIS messaged Tony on the phone that he sensed one other signature in the house. It’s core temperature was too cold, so cold the house’s heat signature was more in comparison. Tony had foregone his usual earpiece. He had limited experience with Thor but he knew Thor’s reflexes and senses were ten times more reactive than a normal human. Tony didn’t want to take the risk of Thor being able to hear JARVIS through the earpiece and misinterpreting it. Thor was a bit short tempered.

The house was very well furnished. JARVIS detected another signature blanketing the house completely. It made Tony a little wary. Thor motioned to the sofa in the living room and Tony sprawled on it like he owned the place. Thor sat on an armchair beside the sofa.

Thor mentally kicked himself. Shit! He had completely forgotten about the phone call he and Jane had made to Dr. Stark before Zaaroc showed up. It was a miracle Dr. Stark hadn’t found them before now. “Uh….so what brings you here Dr. Stark?”

Tony looked up from his phone, where JARVIS was giving an analysis of the signature he had detected around the house. “Ok first of all it’s Tony ok? This whole Dr. Stark thing is too formal. Makes me sound old and serious. Boooring. And I’m here because uh….you called me? A while back actually. Sorry about that. I was actually super busy with Pepper and SI and then I had this surgery and Pepper and Rhodey ganged up on me and told me I had to rest. Can you believe it? JARVIS told me about your call a few days ago. But man is it hard to find you. You have to tell me how you got here. You just poofed from Puente Antiguo to London like that.” Tony snapped his fingers to demonstrate Thor’s seemingly instantaneous travel. 

Thor was confused, “If you don’t know how I got here, how did you find me?”

Tony looked a little sheepish, “Yeah...there’s like a video or...there was a video of you on the internet yesterday in a club dragging this girl that was definitely not Dr. Foster out. JARVIS was looking for you and this video almost went viral. I took it down so no harm done. That was what helped me track you here.”

Oh. That would have been very harmful to Thor and Loki. “Thank you so much Tony. I had no idea there was a video out there. It could have done a lot of harm. Thank you so much for removing it.”

Tony blinked. Usually people got angry and accused Tony of being overtly interfering when he did something like this. “Uh….no problem Point Break. So JARVIS said you wanted to go visit some archeological site in Norway? And now you are here in London. That’s like the complete opposite direction. What was it you said you were doing? Researching on Youton...something….”

“Jotun”, Thor corrected automatically, “They are called Jotun. They live on Jotunheim, a realm of ice. In simple terms these beings are frost giants. Some things have recently been revealed to me and I wanted information on them. The ruins I wanted to visit are said to have been a home for the Jotun many centuries ago.”

Tony was curious now. “Frost giants huh. And they lived here on Earth? When? For how long? Are they dangerous? Should we be worried? What information would make you look for them here on Earth? Why now? You-Jotunheim is like a different planet right? What do these frost giants even look like? How big are they? Are they as big as mountains?”

Thor looked at Tony amused. Like Jane Tony was also a very curious person. Him, Jane and Loki were all scholars always looking for knowledge in every place. “They can be dangerous but they are not a threat. Not at all. The Jotun can be as tall as ten feet. Though it can vary. Some are as tall as me or just head taller. But they can grow up to ten feet. They have blue skin and red eyes. Although their rulers, that is the Jotun with royal blood can take on an Aesir form.” Thor bit his lip. “Actually….you have already met one Jotun…..Loki my brother was a Jotun. The son of King Laufey….:”

Tony blinked. Rock of Ages was a Jotun? And Thor still believed the Jotun were not a threat? “Uh...Thor no offense but Loki attacked us with an army. And you’re saying he was one of these...Jotun. Are you sure they’re not a threat to us?”

Thor sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. He looked tired. He gestured towards the door, “Come on. It’s going to be a long tale. You can’t stand there all day long.”

Tony looked at the door and nearly had a heart attack when he saw a woman standing there. How in the world had he not noticed her? The woman was tall, only a few inches shorter than Thor, She was wearing a long black gown. Her hair fell in slightly curly waves over her shoulder. What caught Tony’s attention were the bright green eyes. They belied an intelligent mind behind the pretty face.

Thor introduced her, “Tony this is Ilvana Trygve of Vanaheim. My fiancée. Ilvana, this is Dr. Stark. He is a well known trader on Midgard. He has excelled in several fields. He is also part of an elite group of soldiers who fight to defend Midgard.”

Ilvana nodded at Tony, “It’s a pleasure to meet you Dr. Stark.” She waved her hand and a chair appeared beside Thor, which she sat on.

Tony blinked at the woman in front of him. Putting the blatant use of ‘magic’ aside for now. She was a little stiff in her movements. Then it registered what Thor had called her. “Wait….fiancée? I thought you were dating Dr. Foster….” Tony was so confused right now.

Thor shook his head. “No. We decided to end our relationship and remain friends. We found it suited us better. I have known Ilvana for many centuries. I reached out to her after….after my mother and Loki’s death. We rekindled our romance you could say…”

Thor looked sad. Tony didn’t know his mother had died. He could understand the pain. He was not sure how he felt about Loki’s death. But Thor was clearly upset about it too. “I’m sorry to hear about that Thor. I had no idea your mom and Loki died. How did it happen?”

Ilvana held Thor’s hand and they looked at each other communicating silently. Tony almost envied how easily they could read each other. Thor turned back to Tony. “That is a very long tale. I will tell you. I think it’s best that I do. What I am going to be doing could affect Midgard too. I will try my best that it doesn’t but I cannot guarantee it. But you must promise me. What I tell you stays between us. You will not tell anyone. I am going to go back to Asgard before this week ends. If at any point after my departure people from Asgard come and ask you about my activities here say that you have had no contact with me at all. Under no circumstance must you tell them what I am going to tell you.”

Now Tony was getting worried. This sounded serious. Really really serious. He tapped his fingers on the phone screen twice giving a silent command to JARVIS to record everything. Just to be safe. Tony sat up straighter. “Ok. Alright. I won’t tell anyone. I gotta say this is not what I was expecting when I came here. But I’m willing to listen…..I will listen”

Thor nodded gratefully. He looked at Ilvana one more time who nodded at him encouragingly. “My whole life I have been told that I am the firstborn child of Odin. I was told he is a noble and just King. He brought peace to the nine realms. He defeated the monstrous Jotun and took their biggest weapon, the Casket of Ancient Winters so that they may never rise up again. I was told I was born to be king.” 

Thor scoffed. “It’s a lie. All of it. Every single thing Odin taught me is a lie. I am not his firstborn. The Jotun are not monsters. My mother didn’t love Odin. She was forced to marry him. Odin did not bring peace to the Nine Realms. No he conquered them. All he ever brought to the Nine Realms was blood and tears.”

“I am actually the second born child of Odin. His firstborn is Hela. She is currently trapped in Helheim. Odin was married before he married my mother. He was married to Angrboda, sister of Laufey, King of Jotunheim. He murdered her. He manipulated Hela and used her to conquer the kingdoms of Alfheim, Vanaheim and Muspelheim. My mother was actually married to Vuco King of Alfheim. She was pregnant when war broke out. Odin killed Vuco. He also killed the unborn child of my Aunt Freya and mutilated her so she could never bear children again. When Hela found out she protested so Odin imprisoned her in Helheim where she has been this whole time.”

“Then he set his eyes on Jotunheim. He used the Bifrost on them. The destruction was so great that entire families died. The whole mountain range of Jotunheim collapsed. The capital city of Utgard is a ruin to this day. Then when he was done he….he stole Loki from Jotunheim. Loki was never adopted. Odin stole him from his real parents Laufey and Farbauti and told us he had found Loki abandoned. It was a lie. Loki was not abandoned. Odin made it look like he died in the war. All their life Laufey and Farbauti believed their child to be dead when he was still alive.”

“He taught me that the Jotun are monsters. That they have no feelings. That they live to kill others. That they must be exterminated from the Nine Realms. And like an idiot I believed him. I was a horrible person you know. Before my exile I killed many Jotun over a stupid insult. I instigated war with them. Laufey died at the hands of Loki himself never knowing it was his own son. He died in a war I started. Odin never told us Loki was Jotun. Never. Loki found out on his own and it broke him.”

“Odin taught Loki that the Jotun were monsters and then he had to find out he himself was Jotun. Everybody turned against him. He was made ruler when Odin fell in a coma and I was still in exile and no one, not one person supported him. They pushed and pushed until Loki broke. He tried to kill himself. Did you know that? Loki didn’t fall off the Bifrost, he let go. It’s a miracle he survived and came back a year later. Otherwise…… And he is part Jotun too you know. Odin. His mother, my grandmother, was Jotun. I have Jotun traits too. My powers. I inherited them from my Jotun heritage. ”

The order in which Thor told the story was a little off. But Tony got the gist of it. Asshole dad ruined everyone and everything on a much bigger scale than Tony could ever imagine. Damn. And here Tony used to think Howard was a terrible father. But this….Odin was the worst parent ever. Just horrible. No redeeming qualities at all. As for Loki…..Tony didn’t think there would be a day when he felt bad about Loki but he felt bad about Loki. Poor guy had the worst end of the stick. Stolen from home, raised by an asshole who taught him to hate his own people. The one time the guy tries to do something and everybody rejects him. No wonder Loki went a little crazy. 

One thing niggled in Tony’s mind, “Wait you said your mom was pregnant? What happened to her? What happened to her child?” 

Thor blinked, “She escaped here to Midgard. Her child was born here. Then my Uncle Freyr brought him to Alfheim when things with Odin had settled. I used to think he was my cousin. He lived his whole life right under Odin’s nose. He’s actually here with me now. He was the one who told me all this…..well sort of. I have made contact with my sister Hela as well. I want to free her from her prison.”

Tony furrowed his brow, “Won’t Odin notice that? I mean he must be keeping an eye on her right? I don’t know what to say Point Break. This is...this is a lot. Are you alright? I mean…...how do you even handle…..” Tony tried to find the right words but for once even he was speechless. He couldn’t wrap his head around what Thor was saying. Forget the chitauri Odin was a much closer and more immediate threat.

Ilvana spoke for the first time since Thor started his story, “We have a plan. That is why me and Zaaroc are here. We have been planning to bring Odin down. Thor couldn’t make these plans on Asgard so we all came here. Aside from you Dr. Foster also knows everything. Our plan is in place. Odin cannot be allowed to sit on Asgard’s throne any longer. He is a threat to the freedom of every being in the Nine Realms. Midgard has been spared his bloodthirsty ambition. But you have advanced so much. It won’t be long before Odin sets his sight on you. He craves power. He has amassed a collection of items stolen from others. The Casket of Ancient Winters, the Sword of Surtur, The Eternal Flame, The Tablet of Life and Time. All things stolen from other realms. Enough is enough. He must be punished.”

Tony couldn’t argue with that logic. Besides he would sleep easier knowing such a horrible man was not in power, “Alright. So what are we going to do? What’s the plan?”

Ilvana smiled at Tony like he was some cute puppy. “You are not going to do anything. We are. Odin is dying. We are going to make it look like he has fallen in a coma. Thor will be made interim ruler. We will collect evidence and build up a case against Odin. We will also introduce reforms to help break the severe prejudice Odin has spread among the Aesir against the Jotun. Once we are well settled and the political landscape is in our favor. We will rouse Odin for his trial.”

Tony blinked. Well then. “Um…..how can you be so sure you can turn the people in favor of the Jotun. Do you even know any Jotun? Besides Rock of Ages I mean..”

Thor nodded, “Yes. My uncle recently made contact with Queen Farbauti, Loki’s birth mother and the high priestess of Jotunheim, Jarnsaxa. It was important to tell Queen Farbauti that Loki had been her son….”

Damn. Tony couldn’t imagine how that poor woman must be feeling. Come to think of it if Odin had let Loki grow up on Jotunheim, he might have been a very different person. He might never have attacked New York. Now that was a baffling thought. “Still….Isn’t this risky? What about other people on Asgard? Won’t they catch on if Odin suddenly fell into a coma?”

Thor shook his head, “No Odin used to do that anyways. Every few centuries he would go into a sort of coma and use the Casket of Ancient Winters to draw power from the core of Asgard and sort of renew his life. It was called the Odinsleep. No one knew Odin was using the Casket to draw power, not even me. Not until recently. The Casket of Ancient Winters is back on Jotunheim, courtesy of Loki. Odin can’t use it anymore. But we can use the excuse of Odinsleep against Odin. He is old. His health has been getting worse. It is not out of the realm of thought that he succumbed to Odinsleep.”

Tony was impressed. He didn’t think Point Break had it in him to be cunning. He seemed more like the kind of guy who broke down doors and demanded justice. “I am impressed. I didn’t think you had it in you to be so cunning. No offense. But it doesn’t seem like your style.”

Thor and Ilvana both smirked eerily alike. Thor shrugged, “I know I look like I spent more time in the training ring but I am trained in diplomacy you know. Loki refused to have a brother who was clueless in politics. He used to read the history books for me at night, when we were young as bedtime stories”

Odd choice. But who was Tony to judge, “Ok….so other than some unwanted visitors….is there anything else I should expect?”

Thor thought about it. “No. Not really….unless we fail and Odin kills us all. You shouldn’t expect anything more. Oh. Yes. One more thing. About Loki’s scepter….the one he brought with him when he….came here….I would like to take it back to Asgard. I have discussed this with Zaaroc. He is an expert in sedir and we both believe the scepter holds more power than we can see. I…..we….also believe Loki himself might have been under its influence when he attacked Midgard….I don’t even think it is Loki’s scepter. I think it belongs to someone else.”

Tony was going to protest that maybe that was stretching things too far but Ilvana spoke up, “Dr. Stark if I may….can you describe Loki? His physical features I mean. Can you describe how he looked?”

Tony thought that was an odd question but shrugged, “Sure. He had pale skin and a jaw that could cut diamonds. He was insanely tall like Point Break here though he looked like he needed to eat. Oh and he had bright blue eyes…..I don’t see what that has to do with….”

Thor interrupted him, “Blue eyes? No….that’s not possible. Loki had green eyes. You must be mistaken Tony. Loki’s eyes were green.”

Tony blinked. No….it couldn’t be, “Uh….he threw me out a window like yesterday’s trash. I don’t think I’m ever forgetting what he looked like. I distinctly remember his eyes were blue. Are you saying….”

Thor looked excited. “That’s it. Don’t you see this is proof. Loki was manipulated. He was as much a puppet as Barton or Erik. We can….you have to tell the authorities Tony. We can…..we can get him a pardon. Just like Barton and Erik”

Tony thought about it. If Rock of Ages had really been controlled like Erik and Clint then it meant the playing field was bigger than it looked. Suddenly it made sense why someone like Loki who Thor claimed was very intelligent had made every mistake possible during the invasion. What had he said to Tony at the tower when Tony mentioned Loki had made an enemy of all of the Avengers? ‘That was the plan’ Because it was. Loki wanted them to band together against him. He wanted them to stop him. Damn this day was just full of surprises.

Ilvana spoke up a little hesitantly, “I know you have every reason to hate Prince Loki. What he did was wrong. There is no excuse for it. There is no changing it. But he wasn’t always like that. He was good. He was. But the people around him didn’t appreciate it. They mocked him, ridiculed him and shunned him. He was supposed to be Thor’s equal but he had to struggle to earn even the most basic respect which was given freely to Thor. I’m not giving an excuse for his actions. But I want you to understand….there was more to Loki than what you saw.”

Thor nodded, “I was so arrogant and ignorant. I never defended Loki. I never stood up for him. I should have. I realize it now. I am as much to blame for Loki’s actions as Odin. If I had just listened…..all those times Loki wanted me to support him….if I had just...I want to do this for him. Jane has told me of people being honored even after their death. Surely there must be a way to pardon people who are dead”

Tony wasn’t overwhelmed by Point Break’s speech. He wasn't; he'd just had a heavy breakfast, “Yeah we have posthumous pardon. I will have to ask my lawyers about it. They would know more about it. I think in Loki’s case we will probably have to go to the International Criminal Court. They have the authority to prosecute people for crimes against humanity. I’m pretty sure the invasion qualifies. The details we’ll have to hammer out with my lawyers. We will need evidence and have to build a case and get dates….I will probably need a way to contact you. You have to appear before the court at least once I think.”

Thor nodded gratefully, “Thank you Tony. Truly. I will ask Zaaroc. He must have a way for you to be able to communicate with me once I’m on Asgard. I will pay for the services your lawyers provide and if there is any other expense incurred while you collect evidence, tell me. I will pay for it as well.”

Tony was surprised again, “uh...money is not a problem Thor. The lawyers are my personal lawyers. I was there during the invasion too. It’s not a problem at all. Really I have more money than I know what to do with.”

Ilvana reassured Tony, “We know that Dr. Stark. We are not insulting you. Just because you can pay for it doesn’t mean that you should have to pay for it. Loki was Thor’s brother. He was the Prince of Asgard. It is his case that will be brought before the court. Any expenses and resources will be paid for by the Royal House of Asgard. That is expected of Thor and of the Royal Family of Asgard. Really we are just making sure we are following our policies.”

Tony blinked. He liked Ilvana. She was very straightforward. He was beginning to like Thor more than he had before. Maybe it was because there was no invasion hanging over their head and Thor seemed more settled now despite the life changing revelations. Maybe it was Ilvana’s presence that had a good effect on him.

JARVIS alerted him that he had detected two more signatures in the house. Sure enough a few seconds later Dr. Foster and another guy entered the room. It was the guy Tony couldn’t stop staring at. He had long white hair which was pulled back from his face and had intricate braids. His ears were slightly pointed with some gold earring on it. He had sea-green eyes and there were some thin white markings around his eyes and on his chin and neck. He was as tall as Thor but a little slim in build compared to him. It was the pointed ears that truly caught Tony’s attention.

And of course because Tony’s brain to mouth filter was practically non-existent, he blurted the first thing that came to his mind, “Your ears are pointy!”

The guy crossed his arms and rolled his eyes, “Well yes thank you. I had no idea.”

Thor smirked at the guy who did not look amused at all, “This is Zaaroc. My cousin who I recently discovered is actually my half brother. He is from Alfheim, the realm of the light elves, hence the pointy ears as you said. Zaaroc this is Dr. Stark a good friend so be nice.”

Oh. Well so elves were real. Well Tony knew that. Dr. Foster had told him the weirdo who attacked London was a dark elf. Tony had been kinda disappointed that real life elves were not as kind and good as Tolkien described. This was nice. 

Zaaroc stopped glaring at Thor and squinted at Tony before his whole face brightened. “Oh! Yes. I have heard so much about you Dr. Stark. Your work in the field of engineering is exceptional. I would love to interact with your A.I.s. I saw your presentation on Artificial Intelligence during the MIT D-Lab Student Showcase in 1987. It was brilliant.”

  1. That was almost 26 years ago. Damn that made Tony feel old. Zaaroc didn’t look like he was that old. Tony realized he had no idea how old Thor was either. They all looked so young. It was hard for Tony to imagine they were actually older than him.



Dr. Foster stepped in the room, “Hello Dr. Stark. How are you? It’s nice to see you. We actually brought lunch. Just some takeaway. You can eat with us...if you don’t mind….”

Tony smiled at Dr. Foster, “Oh. I don’t mind. You have space in the kitchen? I love takeaway. It kept me alive in college. To be honest it still keeps me alive. I can’t spend three hours everyday trying to make omelette.”

Ilvana scrunched her nose up, “Omelette does not take three hours. Thor used to make it for me all the time when we went on hunts.”

Zaaroc nodded along with her, “Yeah. It’s one of the few things Thor does that don’t involve his hammer. Cook and bake. Otherwise I swear he believes his hammer is capable of anything. I think he even tried to use it once to harvest honey. He tried to scare off the bees with his hammer.” 

Ilvana for some reason looked angry, “Don’t remind me. He had hives all over his face for a whole week. I had to apply the ointment every six hours. Oaf.”

Thor looked offended, “How was I supposed to know the bees were going to attack me? I was trying to bring the hive down! Ilvana wanted honey and mother had given strict instructions to the palace cook not to indulge her!”

Zaaroc rolled his eyes, “And you thought the best solution was to go to the forest with your hammer and what knock a beehive down?!!! Really?! You do realize you could have just used your allowance and bought some honey from the market right?”

From Thor’s face Tony guessed that this had in fact not occurred to him. Ilvana looked like Pepper did when she was about to lecture Tony after some lab accident. Tony decided to rescue Thor before they had to spend the next five hours listening to Ilvana call Thor an idiot six different ways.

“Oh Gosh! Look at the time! I’m hungry. Is anybody else hungry? No? Well I’m going to the kitchen now. I gotta be at a meeting later. Pepper will kill me if I’m late again. So…”, Tony walked out of the room and looked here and there before locating the kitchen.

The kitchen was simple with a round table in the middle and four chairs. There were various bags on the table. Tony read the labels. It was sushi and bento and some salad. Perfect. Tony was supposed to be eating healthy to fully recover from the Arc Reactor removal surgery. Dr. Foster, Thor, Ilvana and Zaaroc all entered the kitchen behind Tony. Dr. Foster went to grab some plates. Ilvana frowned at the table and came to stand beside Tony reading the labels on the food packets.

Zaaroc waved a hand and golden light covered the table. JARVIS alerted Tony that it was the same signature he had detected blanketing the house. When the light disappeared, the table was a little bigger and there was one additional chair for Tony. JARVIS reported a change in mass and dimensions of the table. Tony blinked surprised. So that meant Zaaroc could use magic too. Ilvana definitely had magic. Tony wondered if all aliens could do magic or if it was limited to certain sections. Thor had said that all the royals of Jotunheim could take on a human form. And the thought of blue skinned red eyed beings was mind boggling in itself. But did that mean only the people with royal blood could use magic or could everybody on these planets do some type of magic. The scientist in Tony wanted to ask so many questions but he was actually short on time. He really did have to go to a meeting.

Thor and Ilvana sat side by side. Zaaroc sat down to their left, Dr. Foster came back with plates and cutlery and sat down to their right which left only one spot for Tony that was directly opposite Thor and Ilvana. Tony shrugged and sat down. He had a message from Pepper reminding him of the meeting. 

Ilvana and Thor seemed to have no clue how chopsticks worked and watched him and Dr. Foster to see how it worked. But Zaaroc used them easily as if he had been using them his whole life. Tony recalled Thor had said his mother’s other child was born on Earth and he had introduced Zaaroc as his half brother. Tony could make the connection. The burning question was how Zaaroc had managed to stay under the radar of SHIELD whenever he came to Earth. Surely there must be some file out there marking Zaaroc as a threat. Tony would have to dig deeper in SHIELD’s servers.

They all ate silently, with a few scattered conversations here and there. Ilvana glared at Thor twice for speaking with his mouth full and called him a pig. Despite the constant insults, Tony could see how Thor and Ilvana gravitated towards each other. They were so in sync with each other. Thor passed Ilvana the sushi. He instantly knew which ones she liked and which ones she disliked. Ilvana switched their plates twice mid meal and Thor only grunted in return, eating whatever food she did not like. They had a mini chopstick battle over the last piece of sushi before Ilvana let Thor eat it, complaining that otherwise he would act like he was dying of hunger but she had a smile on the corner of her mouth.

After the food was all gone and holy shit Thor, Ilvana and Zaaroc could put away a lot of food, Dr. Foster got some ice cream from the fridge. Ilvana immediately claimed the entire tub of honey ice-cream. Thor looked like a puppy left alone in the rain on the roadside. Ilvana held out one spoon of the honey ice-cream for Thor who ate it happily from her hand. Whipped. Tony wanted to say but controlled himself. There was another message from Pepper for the meeting. Tony was kinda running late now.

Looking at Thor and Ilvana, Tony realized how long it had been since he and Pepper had spent some time together. Without business or Iron Man or anything else getting in the way.  _ ‘Maybe once the meeting is over we can go for a nice dinner’ _ Tony could book a table at Mãos. They could eat dinner and maybe go for some sightseeing. Just the two of them. No distractions. No interruptions. It sounded like a good plan.

Tony clapped his hands, “Well I better get going now. I have to get to that meeting. Pep’s gonna kill me if I am late again. It was nice seeing you Point Break. Your life’s crazy. I hope things go as planned. If you ever need any help...well actually I don’t really know how you can contact me. Should I give you my number?”

Zaaroc spoke up, “No. Thor doesn’t have a phone. Electronics and him don’t really mix and it wouldn’t work once he is in Asgard anyways….”

Zaaroc waved a hand and a wooden box appeared on the table. It had some really delicate carvings on it. Zaaroc opened the box and inside it was honest to God parchment and a beautiful silver pen. It also had some beautiful carvings on it. Zaaroc motioned to the box. “I was actually going to give this to Jane but I’ll make another for her. The pen won’t run out of ink. It and the paper and the box are all enchanted. Just write a letter and fold it and keep it in the box. It will reach Thor. This is the only way I could find to communicate between realms. Feel free to use it whenever you want. Just...don’t lend it to other people.”

Tony traced the carvings on the box. JARVIS detected the same signature as the house on the box. Tony recognized it as the unique signature of Zaaroc’s magic. This was so cool! Tony was going to have JARVIS do an in depth analysis once he got home. From a distance of course. Tony didn’t want to mess with whatever voodoo Zaaroc had done on the box and loose his only way of communicating with Thor. 

Tony picked up the box carefully, “Awesome. I guess I’ll see you around Point Break. If everything goes well. Just send me a letter….for my peace of mind. It was good seeing you all. Thanks for the lunch.”

Thor smiled at him brightly again, “It was good to see you too Tony. If everything goes well, I will inform you. Feel free to communicate with me whenever you want. It does not have to be related to business. I would love to talk about sending a petition to the International Criminal Court for Loki but for now I have to focus on Asgard. I hope I will be back soon. Send my regards to the others.”

Tony smiled back and waved with one hand. He walked out the door and got in his car, carefully putting the magic writing pad on the passenger seat, “Huh. Well how about that. Say J what do think? Didn’t expect to hear about blue aliens and terrible dads when we went in did we?”

JARVIS spoke from the phone now that they were alone. “Certainly not Sir. Shall I set a reminder for sending letters to Prince Thor? I believe it is best to follow up on their plans and monitor how things go.”

Tony nodded, “Yup. It’s best to have some warning in case Big Daddy decides to follow in Rock of Ages’ footsteps and ‘conquer’ us.” Tony sighed, “Man it’s no wonder Loki turned out the way he did…..J get me all the footage we have of Loki and check his eye color in all of it. Oh and book a table for two at Mãos for say….8 p.m. I’ll surprise Pepper. It’ll be nice. Now I think it’s time to get a move on…” Tony started his car and sped away.

Loki sighed in relief as she heard Dr. Stark leave. He shifted back to his male form and put his head on Thor’s shoulder, ice-cream forgotten. That had been close. It was a good thing Zaaroc and Jane had still been at the library. They were able to hurry back when Loki called Zaaroc from the ‘landline’ phone. 

Thor ran a hand through Loki’s hair. The conversation with Tony had been a revelation to him too. He thought back to the invasion and realized that Loki’s eyes had indeed been blue. He replayed the conversation they’d had on the roof of Stark Tower. For a moment Loki had looked surprised by his own army. Thor had thought it was a sign he was reconsidering his actions. Now he realized it was a moment where the scepter’s hold had weakened slightly. If only Thor had been quick enough to catch it back then.

Zaaroc slumped in his chair. “Well that was both good and bad. I didn’t expect to see Dr. Stark. How did he even know we were here?”

Thor frowned, “He said there was a video on the internet of me dragging Loki out of the club yesterday. Tony said he made sure it was removed. Someone must have recognized me.”

Jane blinked, “Oh that’s bad. Very very bad. SHIELD would probably be curious now. I’m pretty sure they saw it too. You guys should speed up your plans and leave before SHIELD gets any bright idea like demanding who Loki is and insisting on taking readings of his magic. They still have the data from the invasion. If they compare it our jig would be up….”

Thor nodded, “Yes you are right. I think it’s time to leave. Zaaroc let’s contact Uncle Freyr now and tell him to set things in motion. Loki….are you alright? Would this be ok?”

Loki composed himself. Talking about the invasion brought up bad memories but he had to move on. He had to. “Yes, I’m fine. Just a little jittery. Dr. Stark’s visit surprised me. That’s all. We should move ahead with our plan. Jane is right. SHIELD must have seen the video too. It’s best not to linger here any longer.”

They all sat in silence, realizing their little vacation was over. Loki was going to miss this. The house felt more like home than the palace ever had. He was going to miss sitting at this table with Jane and Thor and Zaaroc conversing like old pals. He was going to miss the camaraderie that he felt here. But it was time to look to the future. They had a big task ahead of them and Loki was more than ready for it.

TBC...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know Tony seemed a little silent but he is still processing the huge bombshells Thor dropped on him and seeing Thor and 'Ilvana' together is making him think about his own relationships. Also we are now moving on to the end of this story. You can see the pieces are already moving in place with SHIELD coming up in more and more conversations.   
> Like I said there is a two year gap between Thor:TDW and Avengers: AOU.  
> CA:TWS falls in between which means Thor and Loki's story will run parallel to my interpretation of the events of CA:TWS.  
> But more details on it later...


	33. On to the Future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“Have you ever questioned the nature of your reality? Did you ever stop to wonder about your actions? The price you'd have to pay if there was a reckoning? That reckoning is here.” — Dolores Abernathy_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well this is it....The moment we have all been waiting for....

**The Private Dining Hall, Royal Palace of Asgard, Present Day**

Odin sat at the table and looked at the feast spread before him. His stomach churned. He didn’t particularly feel hungry. He was still coughing blood. He had tried to find a spell to absorb sedir but his body was rejecting all magic and medicine. Odin was beginning to feel worried. Where was he going wrong? He had used these spells before and they worked perfectly, why weren’t they working now? Moreover he had been feeling a little off since yesterday. Maybe he had caught the summer fever.

Odin had dismissed all the servants. He could serve himself. He didn’t want them to see him coughing blood. Heimdall had said Thor had no luck locating Loki’s scepter. Though he had been visited by one of his Midgardian shield-brothers so maybe he had made some progress. Odin was considering calling him back. His health was not improving. Maybe it would be best to marry Thor off and hand over the throne to him. It was time Thor took up his responsibilities. If Odin had more time, he might be able to figure out a way out of his predicament.

Odin poured more wine in his goblet and drank it. He was staying away from the mead but he needed to take his mind off his thoughts. The wine helped mellow his mind. He nibbled at some bread before giving up and simply drinking more wine. When the whole flagon was empty, Odin got up and swayed. He was feeling dizzy. He shook his head and leaned against Gungir. He ran the bell for the servants.

Ingrid the head servant came in, looking at Odin with a worried expression, “Are you alright, My King? Shall I clear the table?”

Odin waved away her concern, “Yes Ingrid. Clear the table. I have to attend a council meeting. Tell the cooks the meal was excellent as always.”

Ingrid bowed and motioned for the other servants to come in and clear the table. Odin took a deep breath and stood straighter. He walked to the Council Room a little slower than his normal pace. He was feeling warm. On the way the guards looked at him worriedly several times. But Odin pushed on. He could do this.

The Council was already seated. All the members General Tyr, Ve, Vili, Lady Sigrid, Lord Njal and Lord Sten were present. They all rose and bowed before Odin. Vili and Ve looked at him in concern, “My King, are you alright?” 

Odin didn’t respond, mostly because he was out of breath from the walk here. He sat at the head of the table and motioned for everyone to sit as well, “Yes. I’m fine. Tell me how the trade negotiations have been going.”

Vili looked a little hesitant but spoke nonetheless, “We had a slow start, understandably. But things have improved. The traders Queen Freya sent from Vanaheim have all made deals with us. We have also made deals with some of the elves. It seems we might make up for the slow start.”

Odin nodded pleased. Good so Freyr and Freya were behaving themselves. Odin was well aware that no trader would make an agreement with Asgard if Freyr and Freya told them not to. Odin had thought they might rebel now that Frigga was gone, but they seemed to be behaving. Good. Odin may be old but he would not have hesitated to teach them a lesson.

General Tyr spoke up, “My King, the dwarves have renewed their treaties with us. We shall be receiving a new batch of armor and weapons soon. I have made a report of the units that need to be outfitted. We have also had many promising recruits sign up for the army to replace the ones lost in battle with Malekith.”

Odin smiled, “Excellent General Tyr. Have the report sent to me. I shall go over it later.”

Ve spoke up, “Your Grace, the traders from Vanaheim shall be leaving tomorrow. The elves have decided to forgo the celebrations for summer harvest given the recent losses. How do you recommend we proceed? Shall we have a small feast in the honor of Her Grace Queen Frigga?”

Odin smiled sadly. If Frigga had been here, at this time she would be distributing clothes and food among the poor. Odin didn’t want the fanfare of a feast. With his health deteriorating, he did not want too many eyes on him, “We will follow the elves’ example. I think we should distribute clothes and food like Frigga used to. A way to honor her memory.”

Lady Sigrid spoke up, “A wonderful idea Your Grace. I used to help Queen Frigga in the distribution of alms to the poor. Shall I make the arrangements? Perhaps Prince Thor can distribute them this year. It will be good for him to interact with the people.”

Odin nodded. The people did love Thor. They would love to see him carry on his mother’s tradition. It would be good publicity too after all Thor had broken some buildings in his attempt to get out of Asgard. The people needed to see he cared about them. “Yes Lady Sigrid. I shall send a message to Thor. You make the necessary preparations. It will be good to have Thor interact with all classes of people after...”

Odin couldn’t finish his sentence as irritation built up in his throat and he started coughing. Sweat beaded at his brow. The council members all looked at him worried. Tyr looked ready to call the healers. After almost hacking his lungs out, Odin cleared his throat. “ahem...Sorry...as I was saying….” But Odin couldn’t finish the sentence. He felt a wave of nausea overcome him.

Odin put a hand over his mouth to keep from vomiting. He stood up. The council members stood up as well. Tyr called for the guards and commanded them to fetch Lady Eir. Odin went to tell him off but the world tilted. Odin saw black spots in his vision. Before he knew it he was collapsing. He saw Vili reach for him and Tyr shouting in the background before the world went dark….

**The Healing Rooms, Royal Palace of Asgard, Present Day**

Lady Eir frowned as she looked at the soul forge. She could see some of Odin’s internal organs had slowed down. His brain activity had slowed down as well. It was dropping as Eir ‘examined’ Odin. Oh she was well aware what caused this. King Freyr had informed her of everything that had happened since Prince Thor’s departure. To say that Eir was shocked would be an understatement. Prince Loki was alive! Eir had to expend so much effort to not go around the palace with a huge smile on her face. Things were looking up indeed. Ingrid had been mixing the potion Freyr had made in Odin’s wine. Slowly so that its effects were more gradual. Now finally Odin was in a deep coma. When he woke up the world was going to be baying for his blood. 

Eir crowed in pleasure internally. She turned to the council members gathered behind her and looked at them with a grim face, “My Lords, My Lady, His Grace is fine. He has simply slipped into Odinsleep. He has been stressed lately. And with his advanced age…..it simply became too much. He needs to recover. I recommend we move him to his chambers and inform Prince Thor immediately.”

The relief on the council members’ face was palpable. Eir understood. If Odin had died while on the watch of the entire council it would raise suspicions. That he simply fell in Odinsleep was a relief. 

Lord Vili sighed in relief, “Well I suppose with the death of Queen Frigga, His Grace has been feeling a little overwhelmed. The servants and the guards have all said they all found him looking tired these past few days. He must have been resisting the Odinsleep.”

The other council members all nodded in agreement. General Tyr stepped forward and ordered the guards to move Odin to his chambers set aside for Odinsleep and left with them.

Ve turned to the remaining council members, “I believe it is best if we send someone personally to inform Prince Thor of this development. Perhaps one of his friends…?”

Lady Sigrid nodded in agreement, “Yes. I have seen Fandral the Dashing a lot at the palace lately. We can send him to deliver the news. We must make preparations too. While His Grace is in Odinsleep Prince Thor must be made ruler in his stead. He is of age and it is not right in such a circumstance for the council to hold power over the throne.”

Again there was a murmur of agreement. The council members all went in different directions. Ve went to fetch Fandral. Lady Sigrid, Lord Njal and Lord Sten went to make arrangements for Prince Thor’s arrival. Once everyone was gone Lady Eir smiled. Soon….soon both their Princes will be home….

**Mrs. Hughes House, London, A Day Before Odin falls in Coma**

Thor and Loki stood in the living room, looking into each other’s eyes, their foreheads touching, hands on each other’s shoulders. This was it. By this time tomorrow Odin was going to be in a coma and they will be in Asgard. Only they won’t be Thor and Loki. They will be King Thor and Lady Ilvana soon to be Queen Ilvana. They had discussed their relationship. They were no longer just brothers, they were also lovers. Though they hadn’t consummated their relationship in the traditional sense yet. They were going to wait till Thor was settled fully as King of Asgard. 

Loki wanted to tell Thor about the void. He wasn’t ready to speak the words yet but he had made the decision to share the details. He wanted to, especially since Thor had spoken in Loki’s favor in front of Dr. Stark and not demanded a single scrap of information once he was gone. Not at all. He had simply said he was there for Loki and if Loki never decided to tell that was alright too. Thor was willing to trust and believe Loki when he said he was not fully in control when he attacked Midgard. He did not push for details. That more than anything made Loki want to tell him.

Thor pulled away slightly and kissed Loki’s forehead, “You be safe. I will see you in a day, yes?”

Loki nodded and gave Thor a lingering kiss on the lips. He nodded at Zaaroc and turned to Jane who was near tears by now. Loki wrapped his arms around her, “Don’t worry. We’ll be back before you know it. You’ll see….You won’t even have a chance to miss us.”

Jane gave a laugh that was half a sob, “Yeah….sure...Zaaroc made me another magical writing pad….so expect tons of letters…..you better come back in one piece….who else is going to eat all my honey ice-cream..”

Loki chuckled and pulled away, “Of course how can I resist the honey ice-cream…” He put his hands on Jane’s shoulders, “Jane Foster you are an amazing person and one of the best friends I have ever had. Be happy and safe, if you ever need anything I am just one letter away. Oh and one last thing...Don’t blow yourself up doing science.”

Jane rolled her eyes and pointed to the locket Loki had given her yesterday, “I have a feeling your necklace won’t let me. See you soon Loki….show them who’s boss”

Loki grinned while Thor chuckled, “I will…” He turned to Aroa and held out his hand. “It was a pleasure to know you Aroa. I hope we have a chance to work together in the future.”

Aroa smiled back and shook his hand firmly, “The pleasure was all mine Prince Loki. I hope you succeed.”

Aroa opened a portal to Freya’s personal library. On the other side Freya was waiting for him. Loki transformed to the form of Ilvana. She stepped through the portal and it closed behind her.

Thor swallowed as the portal disappeared. He could feel the bond stretch thin. But it held firm. He turned to Aroa. “Thank you for coming here on such short notice. We decided to speed things a little. I hope it was not an issue.”

Aroa shook her head, “Not at all. I needed to discuss the matter about SHIELD with Zaaroc anyways.” Aroa held out her hand to Thor. “I hope you succeed in what you have set out to accomplish. It was a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I hope the future is bright for Asgard and that we can create a stronger bond between our two realms.”

Thor shook Aroa’s hand, “Yes certainly. I hope all the realms move towards a better future. If there is ever anything we can do for you do not hesitate to contact us.”

Zaaroc came and stood in front of Thor, “Well this is it. I am going with Aroa to figure out a plan on how to deal with SHIELD. By this time tomorrow someone from Asgard will be here to pick you up. I suggest you spend the morning tomorrow in a park or something. I don’t think the house or the road outside will survive the Bifrost….” 

Zaaroc seemed to hesitate but then pulled Thor in a hug surprising him, “I have waited many centuries for the day I could call you brother. I am here to support you. Don’t worry this isn’t just your fight. We stand together.”

Thor hugged Zaaroc back. It was good to have his support. He knew the road ahead was not easy. He was fortunate to have Zaaroc by his side. “Thank you Zaaroc. Truly. For everything. I am honored to call you brother.” 

Zaaroc pulled back and nodded gratefully. Aroa made a portal to the sanctum and they disappeared through it. It was just Jane and Thor again. Thor rubbed a hand over his face. Already he could feel a need to see Loki. Thor sighed and sat down on the sofa. Jane sat beside him. Without Zaaroc and Loki, the house felt empty.

Jane looked at Thor, “So…I wanted to tell you last night….I got an email from Dr. Stark...at like midnight...he’s offering to fund my research and he wants to help with it as well. I accepted….Once you’re gone, I’ll go to New York. The SI headquarters is there in Stark Tower. I’ll be working from there now.”

Thor perked up, “That’s great Jane. Tony is very brilliant. I am sure you both will make great progress if you come together.”

Jane smiled, “Yeah. I agree. He is one of the most brilliant scientists of our time. I would love to work with him. I guess we are all heading in different directions now. I kinda feel sad but I am also looking forward to it.”

Thor nodded, “Change is a part of life. It is best to embrace it. Loki and I spoke to Hela yesterday. She was delighted to know about the change in our relationship and she is also very happy that we are moving ahead with our plan. I can feel she is eager to leave Helheim.”

Jane nodded sympathetically, “She would be. She’s been there forever. It’s one thing to willingly choose to stay there, it’s another to be forced to stay there. I hope the people accept Hela once she is out. She needs that validation in her life after what Odin has done.”

Thor nodded, “I hope so too. I am willing to step down from the throne for her. It is hers first. But I have a feeling after being trapped for so long, what Hela wants is freedom. I don’t think she wants to be bound to another realm again. We shall see….”

Thor looked lost in thoughts. Jane looked at the time. It was 2 o’clock. The day already felt slow. She got up and turned to Thor, “Come on. How about I make us some lunch and we can steal Loki’s honey ice-cream now that he’s not here. And later I’ll tell you about all the shenanigans I got up to in school. I couldn’t turn people into frogs but still I could wreak havoc when I wanted….”

Thor smiled at Jane. He got up. He paused at the door of the living room and sent a pulse of love over the bond. Thor’s smile widened as an answering pulse was sent back to him. Soon...soon…..Loki and Thor will be together…..no one will be able to separate them ever again….

**Somewhere in the East Wing, Royal Palace of Asgard, Present Day**

Fandral was walking down the hallway. The past few days had been exhausting. He had been taking care of the traders visiting from Vanaheim and by the Norns was it hard. The traders seemed hel bent on hating everything about Asgard. The walls were too brightly colored, the food didn’t suit them, the people were rude and on and on and on. Fandral had a permanent headache from all the demands. He was most impressed with Ingrid the chief servant of the palace. 

The woman was simple looking but if anybody asked Fandral she was a goddess. She deftly handled the traders even managing to make them smile as they left. Fandral had been baffled. This job did help pass the time. He hadn’t seen Volstagg or Sif for several days. Fandral felt a little guilty about how much he liked that. But to be honest despite the demanding traders life had been sort of peaceful with Sif’s constant complaining and Volstagg’s constant eating. But Fandral did miss the camaraderie a little.

Fandral was free now, maybe he should go see what they were up to. He just had to submit one final report and then he’ll go find Sif and Volstagg. Fandral was almost to the end of the hallway when a guard came running towards him, “Fandral, Lord Ve has summoned you to the Council Room. His Grace King Odin is…. Come quickly, it is urgent!”

Fandral was immediately alert. He ran as fast as his legs could carry him. He hurried in the Council Room. Lord Ve was talking with General Tyr. They both looked at him when he came in, “Ah! There you are Fandral. Just in time. Come in, come in. Here…”

Lord Ve motioned to Fandral to come up to him and General Tyr. Fandral remembered his manners at the last moment and bowed before him, “My Lord, General Tyr. What is the matter? The guard who brought me here said something had happened to His Grace…”

Lord Ve sighed, “Yes. His Grace, King Odin has succumbed to Odinsleep. The council had gathered to discuss state matters when he collapsed. Lady Eir says his old age and the shock of recent losses has overwhelmed him. We questioned the servants. Apparently, His Grace has been feeling fatigued for sometime now. He hid it well. Alas it has caught up to him now. He has been moved to his chambers. I want you to go get Prince Thor from Midgard immediately. Heimdall has been informed. He will aid you. Bring Prince Thor to the palace, no stops in between. Understood?”

Fandral nodded. By now he knew that though Lord Ve appeared gentle, he was a shrewd man. He did not take it kindly when people were negligent in their duties. In King Odin’s absence Thor had to be set as ruler over Asgard. Lord Ve could not afford delays. Fandral knew well that news of the Odinsleep will reach the populace by nightfall. They had to have Thor in the palace before that.

Fandral bowed once more, “As you command my Lord. I shall head to the Bifrost immediately.”

Lord Ve nodded in approval. Fandral backed out of the room, hurrying to the stables. Holger the stable master was waiting with a horse ready. Fandral nodded to him gratefully and took the reins, heading for the Bifrost. He decided to pick a route that went around the market. If Sif saw him, she would demand answers and Fandral had no time for it.

At the Bifrost Heimdall was already waiting….with Sif….and Volstagg. Fandral dismounted his horse and walked up to them, “Sif? Volstagg? What are you doing here?”

Sif glared at him, “We are here to go with you to fetch Thor. Not that you bothered telling us that is what you were doing.”

Fandral frowned, “I had no idea I was going to be fetching Thor until ten minutes ago. How could I have told you? How did you know so fast….Oh.” Of course Heimdall told them. Fandral’s frown deepened. He was pretty sure Heimdall passing information like this was borderline treasonous.

Volstagg spoke up, “It doesn’t matter. Would you both stop arguing? We need to get Thor now! Come on!”

Heimdall spoke up, “Yes. Time is limited. I have spotted Thor in a big garden with Dr. Foster. I am sending you to them now. Call for me once you are ready to come back.”

Heimdall pushed Hofund in the Bifrost mechanism. Fandral had no choice but to step beside Sif and Volstagg. Heimdall turned Hofund, the Bifrost activated and they went hurtling through..

**The Flower Garden, Greenwich Park, London, Present Day**

Jane and Thor sat on a blanket by some bushes in the park. There was a huge picnic basket beside them and various finger foods spread out on the blanket between them. For a change Jane was wearing a yellow sundress with tiny flowers. Thor was wearing his usual ensemble minus the jacket. Thor’s bag was in a pocket dimension with Zaaroc. Mjolnir was beside him disguised once again as an umbrella. They were soaking up the sun. The food was just for appearance sake. Neither of them was hungry. 

Suddenly a huge column of light hit the ground a few meters away from them. Thor shielded Jane’s eyes from the glare. When the light faded, he saw Sif, Volstagg and Fandral standing over a circle with runes. The sign left by the Bifrost. Thor had been waiting for this.

He put on a surprised expression, “Sif? Volstagg? Fandral? What are you doing here?”

Sif couldn’t help but smile when she saw Thor. He was wearing horribly ugly clothes but looked handsome nonetheless. Her smile faded when she saw who Thor was with. That damn mortal woman again!

Thor got up, pulling Jane with him and approached his ex-friends. Fandral looked worried. Volstagg seemed more interested in the food laid out by Thor and Jane and Sif was glaring at Jane. 

Thor could feel the headache form already, “Well? What happened? You look a little worried. What is the matter?”

Fandral bit his lip, “Thor….it is the Allfather...he has slipped into Odinsleep….Lord Ve sent us to get you….you must return to Asgard immediately….”

Thor feigned shock, “What?!! How did this happen?!! He was fine when I left!!!”

Sif who was still glaring at Jane looked at him trying to be placating, “Lady Eir said his health has been getting worse and he simply succumbed to it because of stress. But Heimdall suspects something foul is at play. You must come immediately!”

Thor frowned. Heimdall always sowed discord. He could see it now. There was no reason to distrust Lady Eir’s word if she said Odin was in Odinsleep. He would need to confront Heimdall about this behaviour one of these days. 

For now Thor nodded. He stretched one arm behind him and called Mjolnir to himself. He couldn’t change to his armor with Jane standing so close by. He didn’t care. Thor turned to Jane who was frowning at Sif and wrapped his arms around her. 

“I’m afraid, I must go Jane. Do not worry I will return as soon as I can.” Thor did not need to say more than that. They had both already said their actual goodbyes. This was just for show.

Jane hugged Thor back as fiercely as she could. Thor pulled back and she nodded at him reassuringly. Thor went over to the Bifrost site changing to his armor midway. Sif, Fandral and Volstagg stumbled a little trying to make space for him. Thor paid them no mind. He looked up, “Heimdall!! Open the Bifrost!”

The Bifrost opened, Thor closed his eyes, letting the feel of the Eistein-Rosen Bridge engulf him and carry him to his new life. 

Fin~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that's a wrap for this story! I felt it is best to develop Loki and Thor's relationship further on Asgard.  
> I do have one more chapter for this story that is the epilogue and then we will be moving on to the next part of the series that is 'The Soldier' which will focus more on SHIELD and subsequently Steve Rogers. (warning I am super salty and highly biased about him.)  
> In parallel will be Thor and Loki putting people in place on Asgard *excited squeal*


	34. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well we are at the end finally!

**Stark Tower, New York, Midgard**

Jane got out of the cab, pulling her bag and paying the cabbie. She craned her neck to look up at Stark Tower. This was it. Jane made her way to the entrance. There was a man in a standard black suit with a badge pinned to his tie waiting for her.

As she got to the door the man introduced himself, “Hello Dr. Foster. Welcome to Stark Towers. I am Harold Hogan, Head of Security. I will be escorting you to your rooms. Here is your badge. It will allow you to access various parts of the building. Please keep it with you at all times.”

Jane smiled at Harold, “Thank You Harold. Nice to meet you.” Jane took the badge from Harold. He took her bag and led her inside. The lobby had many people milling in and out of elevators. Harold led her to a private elevator and motioned for her to step in.

Once the doors closed, a voice spoke from seemingly nowhere, “Hello Dr. Foster. I am JARVIS Dr. Stark’s personal assistant. I run this tower. You will be living on the 82nd floor of the tower. You have access to Dr. Stark’s personal labs which cover floors 70-75. There is a staff on call if you need assistance and I am available 24 hours as well. I hope you will enjoy your stay here.”

Jane nodded and thanked JARVIS. The elevator went up and stopped at the 82nd floor as JARVIS had said. Harold set her bag beside the sofa of what was practically a penthouse. Jane looked around with wide eyes.

She turned to Harold before he left, “Harold! Wait! Is this….is this entire floor mine?!”

Harold smirked like he had anticipated this reaction. He shrugged, “Dr. Stark loves to go all out. Yes the entire floor is yours. Welcome to the band Dr. Foster.”

The elevator closed and Jane stared at it before shrugging and turning back to her penthouse. Well time to get settled in….

**The Triskelion, Washington D.C., Midgard.**

Agent Cooper looked at the list of the new batch of agents that had graduated from the academy and were joining today:

Rosemarie Boyd

Donell Driscoll

Corban Mansell

Jonathan Lynch

They were all standing in one line before him. Agent Cooper sighed. Another day, another batch. Same old, same old, “Well Agents, Congratulations on a successful graduation. You will be assigned to your mentors. You will shadow them and learn from them. After six months we will evaluate you and depending on these evaluations you will be assigned individual assignments. Any questions? No. Very well.”

Agent Cooper turned a page on the file and read out the names of the mentors, “Alright. Let’s see. Rosemarie Boyd your mentor is Agent Smith, Donell Driscoll you are with Agent Stan, Corban Mansell you are with Agent Jones and Jonathan Lynch your mentor is…” 

Agent Cooper blinked at the name reading it twice. How in the world? “Uh….your mentor is Captain Steve Rogers…..”

The other graduates looked at Jonathan in surprise. Jonathan was a tall guy with short blonde hair and blue-green eyes. He simply nodded at Agent Cooper, “Thank you Agent Cooper. Where can I find Captain Rogers?”

Agent Cooper blinked, before coming back to himself, “uh….he must be in the training rooms…..that way….”

Jonathan thanked Agent Cooper and went in the direction he pointed. Agent Cooper stared at his back for a minute before shrugging. He turned back to the remaining graduates, “Well? What are you lot waiting for? Move!”

The remaining graduates all scattered to find their own mentors. Agent Cooper stared at Jonathan's name. Steve Rogers as mentor. The guy must really be something to have earned that. Agent Cooper closed the file. Whatever. He had more work to do...

**Bifrost Dome, Asgard**

Thor opened his eyes and saw that he was on Asgard. It had lost its shine. He simply nodded to Heimdall. Sif, Fandral and Volstagg moved towards their horses but Thor stayed where he was. He motioned to Fandral, “Go call a guard and tell him to bring me quill and paper and my seal.”

Fandral looked at him confused. Thor simply stared back. “Now.” That put Fandral in motion. He hurriedly got on his horse and trotted away.

Thor turned to Heimdall, “Heimdall. I am going to write a message. I want you to send it to Aunt Freya’s palace now. Now. Not tomorrow. Not when you feel like it, right now. Understood?”

Heimdall looked at him with narrowed eyes but Thor held his ground. He won’t be as lenient with Heimdall as Odin. Heimdall gave a terse nod. 

Sif approached Thor looking concerned but before she could say something, Fandral returned with an additional horse and one very confused guard holding a piece of parchment, some quill and Thor’s seal. 

Thor took the paper and quill from the guard and hurriedly wrote a message to Loki. 

_ ‘My dear Ilvana, _

_ I have received grave news that my father has succumbed to Odinsleep. The healers say that his age has caught up to him. But I fear he might not wake again. _

_ I require your skills in the healing arts. I request you to come to Asgard post haste and examine him. _

_ Yours now and always, _

_ Thor.’ _

Thor folded the paper and sealed it using his seal. He handed the letter to Heimdall, “Go on send this to my Aunt. I have summoned Ilvana Tygerve of Vanaheim. She is an exceptionally talented healer. When Aunt Freya calls for the Bifrost you are to bring her here. I will send guards to escort Ilvana to the palace.”

Thor didn’t wait for Heimdall’s response. He climbed on the horse Fandral brought with him. He heard the Bifrost open behind him but did not look back, simply trotting towards the palace.

The Warriors Three and Sif scrambled to follow him. Along the way Thor smiled at the people gathered in the streets. But as the palace drew closer, he put on a grim expression. Thor dismounted his horse as soon as he was inside the palace gate and hurried down the hall towards Odin’s chambers. The council members were all gathered outside the door.

Thor ignored the others and looked at his uncles. “Uncle Vili! Uncle Ve! How did this happen?!!!”

Vili and Ve looked at him with a sad expression. Vili spoke up, “We were at a council meeting. Your father looked tired but wanted to do his duties nonetheless. We were discussing state matters when he started coughing. He tried to leave but weakness overcame him and he fell into Odinsleep right there. The servants all report his health has been deteriorating...it simply became too much…”

Thor looked at his feet, letting his hair fall in his face, appearing dejected. Ve put a hand on his shoulder, “Don’t worry Thor. He has always recovered before. He will awaken soon and be back on his feet in no time….you’ll see…”

Thor nodded meekly. He rubbed a hand over his face, “Can I at least see him?”

Ve nodded, “Yes. Of course. We shall give you some privacy. Please come to the Council Room once you are done…”

Thor nodded. The council members bowed and left. He turned and saw that Sif, Fandral and Volstagg were still there. He wasn’t in the mood to deal with them. “Do you mind?”

Sif looked shocked that Thor was asking them to leave. But Fandral and Volstagg nodded and pulled her away. Thor stopped at the door to Odin’s chamber and turned to one of the guards, “You. Have some horses prepared. Collect five other guards with yourself and go to the Bifrost. Lady Ilvana of Vanaheim will be arriving. Escort her to my personal chambers. No one is allowed to stop you.”

The guard bowed and left to follow Thor’s orders. Thor nodded to the remaining guard and went in. Odin was on the bed covered in furs with a golden shield around him. He looked pale and weak. Thor stood there and realized he felt nothing. No sorrow, no regret and no guilt. He did not feel bad about doing this to Odin. He felt absolutely nothing for him. He was a tyrant. One that had to be brought down and Thor was simply doing his duty. Thor turned away from Odin and walked back out of the room. “See that no one except the healers and me are allowed in.” Thor threw the command over his shoulder and walked away from Odin without looking back.

**Council Room, Royal Palace of Asgard.**

Ve watched as Thor walked in his head held high. Something had changed. Thor was more confident. More sure of himself than before. That he had completely ignored his ‘friends’ did not go unnoticed by Ve or any other council member for that matter. Good. Maybe Odin falling into Odinsleep was a blessing in disguise. Maybe it was time Thor sat on his father’s throne.

The council bowed before Thor. He nodded to them and approached the table, sitting at the only empty seat, at the head of the table. Lady Sigrid was the first one to speak, “Welcome back Your Grace. I wish it was under better circumstances but we are glad that you are back.”

Lord Njal spoke up, “Yes Your Grace. It is indeed good to have you back. I think we should get to the crux of the point now.”

Thor nodded, “Thank you my Lords and my Lady. I wish we were holding this meeting under better circumstances too but it is not to be. I assume you will be taking control of the throne till father recovers…?” Thor wanted the council to offer him the throne not seize it.

The council members looked baffled by this statement. Lord Sten protested, “No. Not at all Your Grace! You are of age. The throne is rightfully yours. We cannot in good conscious keep you from it. We wish for you to rule in King Odin’s stead till he recovers. We will support you in this.”

The other members including his uncles all nodded in agreement. Thor looked at them nodding gratefully. “Thank you so much for your faith in me, My Lords and my Lady. I shall endeavour to rule as justly as my father.” 

The words took effort to say but Thor had to say them. “I wish to discuss only one matter with you before I ascend to the throne.” 

Thor waited till all the members were looking at him in anticipation. “These past few months have been hard on both me and father. With mother and Loki both gone…..I have been thinking more and more of the future. Of the royal bloodline. I must confess…..I have been communicating with a noble lady of Vanaheim. Lady Ilvana Tygerve, the daughter of Dolph and Helga Tygerve. She is one of the ladies-in-waiting of my Aunt Freya. She is also an exceptionally talented healer.”

The council members all looked very interested, Thor pressed on, “I have summoned her here. My Lords and My Lady….I believe….I believe Ilvana is a good match for me. I intend to take her as my wife. I ask only this. I have invited her. Allow her to stay. See her and test her for yourself. I am confident you will not disapprove of her.”

Lord Sten was the first one to speak up, “This is good news Thor. I would love to meet Lady Ilvana. The whole of Asgard knows the noblewomen of Vanaheim are a perfect match for our Kings. Your mother was of Vanaheim too after all. She would have wanted you to marry from among her people. We will be pleased to host Lady Ilvana”

Ve nodded in agreement, “Indeed. Asgard flourished under Queen Frigga. It is good that you are thinking ahead Thor. I agree with Lord Sten. We will be pleased to meet Lady Ilvana.”

There was a murmur of agreement around the table. Thor smiled at the council. “Thank you My Lords, My Lady. I think we should keep the news of Ilvana being my bride to be under wraps for now. Hopefully father will recover and give us his blessings. If….if nothing changes for the next six months then we shall announce my engagement to Lady Ilvana”

Lord Njal nodded, “A wise decision, Your Grace. It will allow the people to mix with Lady Ilvana and it will allow her to settle on Asgard.”

General Tyr nodded too, “I am happy for you, Your Grace. When shall Lady Ilvana be arriving? Shall I send someone to escort her to the palace?”

Thor did not have to fake the blush that overcame him. He was all too eager to have Loki by his side, “Uh….I have already sent a group of guards to escort Lady Ilvana. I sent her a message as soon as I arrived”

Vili smirked at him, “Ah. I see. Is that why there was a guard running around with paper and quill?” Lord Njal roared with laughter, and even Lady Sigrid seemed amused.

Thor shook his head, “I believe this meeting is concluded now My Lords and My Lady. I take it there will be a quiet ceremony to officially hand the throne to me?”

The council members composed themselves. Lord Sten nodded, “Yes Your Grace. Technically you became King the moment, His Grace King Odin fell into Odinsleep. But we will be having a small ceremony with a few guards and perhaps your friends? as witnesses to hand the throne over to you officially. The arrangements have been made. We can do it whenever you wish.”

Thor nodded, “Lady Ilvana must be arriving shortly I shall escort her to….er….my rooms and then I will join you in the inner Throne Room. General Tyr, add five of your most trusted Commanders to the list of witnesses. Lady Sigrid please bring your most trusted mages to the ceremony as well. The mages can be bound by oath that they have witnessed my ascension to the throne.”

Lady Sigrid and General Tyr nodded. Thor turned to his uncles. “Uncle Vili, Uncle Ve. I want you to draft a message and send it to all the rulers. King Svol, King Etri as well as Uncle Freyr and Aunt Freya must be informed of my ascension. Is there anything else?”

The council members all shook their heads. Thor got up, “Very well then. Assemble in the inner Throne Room. I shall see you in a few minutes.” Thor could feel Loki’s anxiety over the bond. She was here.

**Bifrost Dome, Asgard.**

Loki’s heart pounded in her chest as the light of the Bifrost faded. She had decided to wear a long golden dress. She left her hair open and let it flow down her back in waves. There was a small unit of guards waiting for her. Heimdall was watching her with narrowed eyes. One of the guards approached her and bowed to her, “My Lady. I have been sent by His Grace Prince Thor to escort you to the palace. This way please.” The guard motioned to a horse and held out a hand to help Loki climb it. 

Once seated the guards surrounded her and they made their way to the palace. On the way Loki saw the people looking at her curiously, murmuring amongst themselves. A few children waved cheerily at Loki and she smiled at them waving back. That put some of the people at ease and they smiled at her.

Everything felt old and new at the same time. Loki knew this place like the back of her hand and yet she had to act like she was seeing it for the first time. The guards dismounted once they were inside the palace. Loki climbed down as well, handing over the reins to Holger, murmuring a quiet thank you. The other guards dispersed. The one that had helped her at the Bifrost, led her down an all too familiar hallway. 

Now that she was close. Loki could feel Thor’s nervousness over the bond. The guard paused at the door to Thor’s chambers and told her she was allowed to go in. Loki wasted no time. She pushed the doors open at the same time as Thor opened them from inside. The whole world stopped. Loki felt like she could breathe properly now. Had it only really been one day? It felt like an eternity. It felt like her and Thor had been apart for ages.

Thor pulled Loki into his arms and breathed in her scent. It felt like he hadn’t seen her for ages. He looked over her shoulder at the guard and dismissed him with a wave of his hand. Thor pulled Loki into his room, closing the door and they stood there. Two souls that were one, floating in the warmth of their bond

**Location: Unknown Planet.**

The garden was odd. The planet on which it existed had blue colored soil. The flowers were growing in lines set by the gardener. No flower was supposed to even lean outside its line. 

There was a row of fiery red flowers beside a row of cool blue flowers. One fiery red flower reached out and twined itself with a cool blue flower. They were opposites but they existed in harmony perfectly. The fiery red flower and the cool blue flower were so entwined that beneath the soil, their roots had tangled too.

A huge shadow fell over the two flowers. A giant purplish colored hand reached out and plucked the blue flower. The flower had been so entwined with the fiery red flower that one of its petals was also torn when the blue flower was plucked. The monstrous hand crushed the blue flower.

A voice was speaking in the background, “Hear me and rejoice. You have had the privilege of being saved by the great Thanos. You may think this is suffering, no. It is salvation. The universal scale tips toward balance because of your sacrifice. Smile. For even in death, you have become children of Thanos.”

There was screaming and sounds of weapons firing in the background. The blue flower was dropped on the ground forgotten. The shadow turned to reveal Thanos, the Mad Titan. Before him the people of the planet had been divided into two groups. Thanos looked at his soldiers and nodded. The people on the right side were shot down, killed like cattle. Thanos smiled. He looked up at the sky soaking in the reddish light of this planet’s sun. Soon...soon he would not need to resort to such violence. All he would need to do is snap his fingers and balance will be restored to the universe. Soon...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the curtain falls!  
> I have already started working on the next part of the series. I shall probably post it in a couple of days. (I need to see CA:TWS again to remember all the characters lol)  
> I hope you all will like it!


End file.
